Help Us Rebuild After Squatting, Vandalism, and Now—Fire

In 2016, my partner Adam and I bought a little house in Rowena, Oregon. It was nothing fancy, but it was ours—set above the Columbia River Gorge with a big yard and a lot of potential. We lived simply, saved diligently, and kept the house as a long-term rental while we worked in Hawaii—me as a professor, Adam as a sex crimes detective.

In 2023, we left those careers behind to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, something we had dreamed of for years. We committed fully to the experience, giving up our jobs, our comforts, and everything familiar to live and work abroad for the greater good.

But while we were away, everything at home fell apart.

Our longtime tenant—a young mother on housing assistance—tragically died of a fentanyl overdose inside the house. Her boyfriend, who we later learned had been illegally subletting, broke back in after her death and began squatting there.

By the time we were notified, we had to initiate a formal eviction process from thousands of miles away. In the few short weeks it took, the house was vandalized, looted, and trashed. Walls were damaged, appliances and furniture stolen or destroyed, and piles of garbage, metal, and tires covered the yard. The house became unlivable.

Adam returned to Oregon two weeks before I did to face the devastation head-on. With help from his family, he cleared out drug paraphernalia, cleaned up hazardous waste, and began restoring the space inch by inch. We were determined to rebuild.

Insurance has refused to cover most of the damage:

No reimbursement for stolen or destroyed items

No coverage for cleanup, legal fees, or temporary housing

No compensation for lost rent or management negligence

Still, we came back with hope.

I arrived just last week. We spent one night in the house, sleeping on an air mattress, beginning the slow work of putting our lives back together.

The next day, without warning, the Rowena fire exploded. Our neighborhood went from Level 0 to Level 3 evacuation in a matter of minutes. We had no time to prepare. We grabbed what little we had—and fled.

We still don’t know if the house is standing.

Why We're Asking for Help

This is not something we ever thought we’d do. But after two years of public service, we’ve returned to no belongings, and no home we can count on.

We’re asking for help to:

Repair or rebuild our house if it survives—or start over if it doesn’t

Replace stolen appliances and furniture

Cover cleanup, legal fees, and uncovered costs

Afford temporary housing while we recover

We know many people are facing hard times. But if you can give anything—or share our story—it would mean the world to us.

With deep gratitude,

Tara & Adam