"DOWNTOWN DAN" gets his forever home

Getting to know Downtown Dan!! Dan is a legend. Our family and generations know Dan Doty. Most everyone knows him as 'Downtown Dan'.

Dan spends most of his days walking around the streets of Medford, smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, going into the local business, and talking to people. Dan has never met a stranger.

Dan has been homeless for 20-25 years. Staying all over the streets and along the Bear Creek Greenway. For the last 4 years, he has been living in Rogue Retreats programs, working with Case Managers filling out all sorts of housing applications and getting put on a bunch of waitlists. Dan has been at the Urban Campground on and off for the last 2 1/2 years, working with community partners like Options and LaClinica along with his Case Managers and Peer Supports here at Rogue Retreat to respond to all of the property management requests.

One of the Retirement Homes that Dan applied to got back to him, in December 2022. Dan did the screening, PASSED, the interview, PASSED, and all the paperwork/credit check and PASSED! They asked for two references for Dan and after those were reviewed Dan got to have the choice to accept the subsidized based apartment or not, and Dan DID!!

February 1, 2023 'DOWNTOWN DAN' will be moving into his FOREVER home!!! Being homeless for so long, we want to be able to set him up with everything we can so he won't be struggling to make ends meet. Dan lives off of SSI and it is very little. He will not have any furniture and honestly, Dan is a minimalist anyways! Dan will be working with his Case Manager through Options, even after he moves in, and stay close to his Rogue Retreat team. We are trying to help him succeed and provide him with the tools he will need to be successful long term.

Dan is so excited and proud of himself, as he should be. He will be relearning/learning how to live again, and when would be a better time to do it, but now in his golden years!!!

Here is an article on Dan that the newspaper did years ago for more information on him!!

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  https://mailtribune.com/archive/who-is-downtown-dan-/