Eco Dream was founded in 1994 after many years working for non profit agencies. My love of the environment, people and spiritual paths that I have crossed during the many years working in the non profit agencies  have taken all of us on a mission to create a better world. I have observed while working for Habitat, Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, Pacific Southwest Conference, Monument Communtiy Center and consulting for other community based agencies, that as well intentioned we may be, we needed to find a way to really make an impact on whatever specific need is being addressed. We wanted to design a "green home" but that was a concept at the time that was reserved for high end homes. We wanted to know why can't a home be both? We were interested in all these designs and concepts which I fell in love with after working with the City and County of SF on the first green project-the upgrades to convert a Julia Morgan Building to more energy efficiency during the power outages that were happening in California in 1990's. Tetra Tech, Sun Power and other consultants were hired and we created a state of the art system for the time for the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House. Of course there was a lot of opposition from the residents at the time in the neighborhood that did not understand Photovoltaic Solar Panels and we had to overcome many obstacles. I knew it was the right path to take and I questioned why did other agencies not follow suit to save the cost of the increased utility costs during that period in time. I could not wait, we had a Head Start School, Developmentally Senior Day Programs and youth in the building so we needed power that we could afford. It was exciting times and I wondered where our future was headed.

 

We decided the Eco Dream would better serve the community by addressing the needs of the low to moderate income population which include you, me and our children. The new working poor. Making too much to qualify for any subsidies yet not making enough to ever to afford to save to buy or save for a home. People that are working but still struggling to make ends meet. If you are not aware of who that could be...think of your local teachers,police, fire fighter and other city and county workers;  managers of local businesses, single parents, underemployed families or families that in other times would be considered middle income except for the rising cost of health care, food, transportation and energy cost continue to erode the our "paychecks". Are we all living pay check to pay check with any change of employment status detrimental to our well being? You know who you are. We know that too. It is the silent majority that have no means to afford to buy a home or had a home and lost it due to divorce, sickness or loss of one or two jobs or perhaps the company you worked at decided to outsource its labor force.

 

We all know someone that is currently experiencing these conditions regardless of race, gender or class. What was perceived as security in the past is no longer a reality today. It does not matter if you are the best at your job, position or specialty. Economic conditions continue to dictate the job market needs and our wages are not going up and the price of homes continue to escalate or self correct, that still has implications of instability that need to be dealt with by providing a product that meets current needs for years to come. An affordable home would allow for the economic uncertainity to be weathered more steadily by families in case of loss of job, health or worst for our armed forces and their families. I am proud to say that I also had all of the above experiences and can relate so no one is above that reality.

 

We started with the thought that perhaps we could assist the extremely low income population. The more we spoke to the general population, the more we realized that so many needed help. The needs of the extremely low income populations were currently being served by Habitat and other Self Help non profit community based housing organizations. There was no one helping the majority of families that were left without assistance and direction.

 

The Board of Directors and advisors, consultants and myself  have concluded that  it was in the best interest of the majority of the general population to find solutions. We all did agree if we have extra land, or supplies that we could always donate them to the Habitats and Self Help Agencies that assist those in distress. We honor them and respect them tremendously. As a volunteer and an past employee of Habitat, I have cherished my time and became aware of housing needs. I also came to the realization that business model that Habitat used was great for their specific need.

 

If I wanted to change the world, I had to think of another way to do it. So I used some of my MBA skills, the professional guidance of all my friends and loved ones, personal loans, home equity loans and lots of love and positive thoughts from our volunteers, (as we used to were turned down many times for loans as a NPO start up,) tears, jeers and joys and successes. Many angels have come to assist us and for those wonderful business partners, friends and consultants that believe in what we do, and who have been there to assist us during the most difficult times, I thank you with all of my heart,  Just think what an impact you will have as all those families who believed that they would never have a home will have a home because you believed in us and in Eco Dream doing the right thing.

 

We have been blessed to have had the "Secret" before it was popular so that is how Eco Dream Affordable Housing was born, with all our love and hope for a better world.  No one told us it could not be done. We just had to move mountains, so we did.

 

Sincerely,

Helen Marquez