Contributions Make House a Home for Those on Hard Times

When the Irvine Co. donated two dilapidated farmhouses to the city of Irvine last May to convert to shelters for the homeless, critics complained that the houses were too isolated and structurally unsafe.

But 7 months and $300,000 worth of donated material and work later, the project received its first customer last week: a family displaced from its house when the roof burned off, ignited by sparks from an improperly lined chimney.

Ben Keenan, 47, who moved with his wife and two children last week into one of the refurbished, 1920s farmhouses, said he is just happy to have a place to live.

“It’s good to know that I can put clothes in a drawer . . . instead of a cardboard box,” Keenan said.

Keenan said he and his wife, Roberta, a secretary, had been struggling financially since the company where he worked as a computer salesman closed earlier this year. Keenan, who is now a supervisor at an Irvine restaurant, said the fire made an already difficult financial situation unbearable.

“It was tough to go to (Irvine Temporary Housing) and say, ‘Hey, I need help.’ But they were gentle and loving and made it a real easy event,” Keenan said.

Roberta Keenan, 39, said the difficulty arose because their insurance policy covers structural repairs to their Irvine house but not their cost to rent somewhere else while the roof is replaced, which repairmen estimated would take 2 to 3 months.

For the farmhouse, they pay only $250 rent to Irvine Temporary Housing, the nonprofit agency that manages it.

Anne Miller, executive director of the agency, said it also operates five Irvine apartments for homeless families and intends to open five more in January. She said the agency looks for people with a work history or employable skills. Irvine residents are preferred, but the agency will help families from neighboring cities, she said.

Restoration of the two farmhouses began in August. Construction companies, community groups and private citizens donated labor and materials to the project, Miller said. According to a statement issued by the agency, donations by the Orange County Building Industry Assn. were valued at nearly $80,000. The city of Irvine also allocated $5,000 for the project, Miller said.

And last week, Allergan Inc., an Irvine-based pharmaceutical company, donated $10,000 to help maintain the farmhouses.

Michelle Sweet, a spokesperson for Allergan, said the company was impressed with Irvine Temporary Housing because it helps families become self-sufficient by allowing them to save money for rent and moving expenses. She also said it was the most effective agency for the homeless because it provides financial counseling to help families budget to live within their means.

Miller anticipates that it will cost between $7,000 and $8,000 to maintain the two houses each year. She said that the donation from Allergan Inc. will also be used to buy refrigerators for the new apartments.

The farmhouses, Miller said, were furnished completely with donations from community groups. Schools and churches also donated food and paper products from Christmas drives.

Roberta Keenan said she “absolutely loves” the house because it is so well decorated.

Although the houses are in Old Towne Irvine, a less populated area of the city, Ben Keenan said nearby businesses create enough activity to keep them from feeling isolated.

“It’s kind of nice to be away from the city for a while,” he said.

And thanks to Irvine Temporary Housing, he said, “we’re getting out of the hole.”

Although the farmhouse is much smaller than their home, Keenan said, the tragedy has made them all more grateful.

“You appreciate something more when you lose it,” he said.