Rebuild Generational Home and Reunite Family

Hi, my name is Mariko Orii and I am desperately asking for community support on behalf of one of my coworkers and closest friends. Please continue reading for more information on her current situation.

Two years ago, everyone was struggling to survive amid a global pandemic/lockdown. In addition to trying to keep her and her family afloat during this incredibly tumultuous time, the generational home that was originally bought by her grandmother which housed herself, her father, her sister, her nephews, and her son burned down one day while she was at work. Unfortunately, by the time she got word about the fire and got to her home, there was absolutely nothing left for her to salvage - even with insurance, all of her son's baby pictures and toys, historic family memorabilia, ashes of family members who have already passed, furniture, clothes, everything was destroyed. Since the fire, she and her son have had to stay with her significant other in a tight place, she had to secure a single-bedroom place in LA for her father and cousin that they share due to unaffordable housing closeby, and the house is still under her grandmother's name who has unfortunately passed. She alone has had to pay the bills for the house and for her father, support herself and her son, pay for extra schooling to become a fully credentialed teacher in a classroom, and go through the process of rebuilding this house from the ground up.

She has been in the process of rebuilding this home for the past two years, which has been extremely delayed and challenging due to Covid restrictions. When things were finally starting to take a foot, the city of Oakland stopped that progress in its tracks this July. In addition to the mortgage increase and all the other finances she needs to take care of, the city of Oakland has made this almost impossible for her by requesting a total of $67,000 ... $30,000 of which needs to be upfront. A majority of these funds are going towards building codes in order to bring everything up to date. With recently starting school and all the funds she has already invested in rebuilding the home, this $67,000 is a huge barrier and has stopped all progress. The city will not continue working on the house until the funds are provided, so until then, she and her son are at a standstill.

But life does not stand still. Life goes on. Her son continues to need braces, glasses, clothes, and soccer practice. She still supports her significant other with rent. She still needs to support her father in LA. She still needs to have food on the table. Because of this never-ending housing crisis, she has had to sacrifice so much. She works overtime, has neglected her health to prioritize work, and has had to keep a smiling face for her son through it all.

This story is not just about a house that burned down in a fire. It is about a whole family being separated and displaced. It is about people who have called a place home for all their lives and now have no sense of belonging or community. It is an urgent matter to get her father back home so she can take care of him and ensure his life is not in danger. It is about generations of family history that is no longer tangible.

(**My coworker has requested that her name and her family's name not be used on the actual platform for privacy reasons but has given consent to share her story. Please let me know personally if you have any questions. My coworker/friend is a strong independent soul and makes that known. She is an educator of color, a mother to a 10-year-old son, a nurse, and so much more. She goes above and beyond to support others around her and the youth she molds with love. No one that puts this much heart and soul into the community should be struggling this much alone. She is someone that does not often ask for support, thus I am posting this on her behalf.)