“We’re trying to get out of here.”
John and Tess have a home in Redmond, but they may never be able to live there.
John and Tess own a home in Redmond, but because of a failed septic system, the home is currently unlivable. For the last two years, the couple have lived in a make-shift camp while they search for funding to fix their septic system. Because their home is deemed a health hazard, they have not been able to visit their property until recently.
Living in the rough has been difficult, especially with a family. When the couple had to leave their home, they had four kids in tow. “Our 3-month-old, a 3-year-old, a 9-year-old, and an 11-year-old,” John recalled.
John had been employed as a taxi driver for more than 20 years before being laid off. Without a permanent address, John has found it difficult to find work. “Once you’re homeless, you’re labeled,” he said. “Most folks camping out here want to work, but employers want nothing to do with us.”
“Once you’re homeless, you’re labeled. Employers want nothing to do with us.”
More setbacks followed. Their campsite burned down, and they lost most of their clothing and the kids’ birth certificates. “We’re actually one of the lucky ones out here because we have a rig that runs,” says John. But luck is relative. Because of his job loss, the couple is now two years behind on property tax payments. “It’s going to be harder to get back into that house than starting over with a fresh house,” Tess said.
But the couple remains hopeful. Just recently, with the help of an advocate, John and Tess have been allowed to place a port-a-potty on their property and tend to their vacant home. They have people looking for grants and other funding to help them complete the expensive repairs to their septic. “We’re trying to get out of here,” John says.