Danielle Gonzales works as the lead line cook at a local restaurant and dreams of becoming a sous chef. A graduate of culinary arts school, she is especially passionate about making Mexican cuisine, inspired by her upbringing.
“One of my favorites is making my grandpa’s pinto beans and ham hocks with homemade tortillas,” said Danielle. “It’s so good.”
While Danielle works on her career, being a mom is even more important to her.
Originally from Spokane, Danielle is raising her 11-year-old daughter as a single mom. In 2024, their lives changed when a long-term relationship ended, and they had to leave their home.
“I came to my boss and told him I was going to end up being homeless,” Danielle said.
Her boss connected her with Big Table, a nonprofit organization supporting restaurant industry workers in crisis. They referred her to Village Cohousing Works.
Village Cohousing Works provides affordable housing to low-income families in the North Spokane area.
“We are a group of people very concerned about the housing crisis and working to impact Spokane with permanent help for families,” said Village Cohousing Works Executive Director Sarah Ben Olson.
Within about four months, the nonprofit helped Danielle buy a home.
“I cried when I got in there after we started to move stuff in,” said Danielle. “It was wonderful. It felt like, finally, I have something of my own. I don’t have to depend on anyone else.”
Her daughter shares the feeling. “My daughter is so proud that this is ours,” Danielle said.
With support from donors and local partners, including Avista, the nonprofit is buying new manufactured homes and placing them in Takesa Village in Mead, Wash., a community owned by residents.
Approved applicants, like Danielle, buy the home at cost.
To qualify, households must have an income near 80% of the area median income (AMI)* or below and be at risk of homelessness, either by spending more than 30% of their income on rent and/or having been homeless before. They also need to get a loan for the home and attend homeownership classes and financial counseling.
“Village Cohousing Works was with me every step of the journey, giving me the education, tools and connections that I needed to make this dream come true,” Danielle said.
Avista supported Village Cohousing Works by passing on the affordability of homeownership with its energy efficiency rebates and incentives, and grant support from Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF)**. An NCIF rebate was designed uniquely for the Village Cohousing Works homes to help make the homes affordable and energy efficient.
Avista committed to continuing this support for more home purchases in 2024 and 2025.
“Families are moving into new and beautiful homes and enjoying the comfort features of Energy-Star appliances that are designed for maximum efficiency,” said Ana Matthews, Avista program manager. “When a home is built with energy efficiency in mind, the savings may help to free up funds for other living expenses and ease financial stress.”
Home ownership will significantly impact Danielle and her daughter’s future. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, homeownership improves financial stability, leads to better educational opportunities for children, and fosters a stronger sense of community.
With a new home and a renewed sense of stability, Danielle and her daughter are looking forward to a brighter future in their energy efficient home. They’re dreaming of planting a small garden in their yard and creating a comfortable outdoor patio area.
“My daughter said she was so proud of me because I did this all myself. Hopefully she’ll bring that lesson with her into her future and show that same drive,” Danielle said.
Danielle is proving that with the right support and determination, overcoming life’s challenges and achieving your dreams is possible.
“Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help because there could be way more resources than you could dream of,” said Danielle.
*Area median income — often referred to as simply AMI — is a key metric in affordable housing, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Area median income is defined as the midpoint of a specific area’s income distribution and is calculated annually by the HUD. For example, in 2024 a family of four making $71,200 or less per year would have an AMI qualifying them for this Village Cohousing Works program.
**Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF) was approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission as part of the company's Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) to meet compliance targets for the state's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA, 2019). The NCIF will invest up to $5 million annually in projects, programs, and initiatives that benefit Avista's Washington electric customers residing in highly impacted and vulnerable communities (i.e., "Named Communities"). Community-based projects will be selected for funding through a competitive grant application process. Application information and eligibility guidelines can be found at myavista.com/NCIF.