Resident & Program Information

Transcription

1 Room Number: Telephone Extension: Mailbox Number: 1026 North Forest Street, Bellingham WA (360) fax: Resident & Program Information Program Rules Facility Safety Rules Drug & Alcohol Policy Guest Rules Miscellaneous Program Rules Kitchen Duties

2 Phone & Voice Mail Instructions Setting up and using your voice mail is required. Each resident has a voice mail that will be used for housing program announcements & other information. Extension Your room number is your telephone extension. To reach another room - dial the extension. To reach security - dial 125. FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY: Monday Friday, 9:00 5:00 To reach the office - dial 100. If you need information, want to know if mail has come or to make an appointment of any kind, you must come to the front desk. Incoming calls will go directly to voice mail only. The telephone will not ring unless it is a YWCA staff member or resident within the building. For safety reasons, your voice mail will have an anonymous greeting your name and room # will not be recorded anywhere in the voice mail system. You cannot record a greeting. Ask your callers to dial and listen to the recording. They may dial the extension as soon as the recording starts. If you do not want a caller to know your extension, do not give them your room/alcove number. The office will not give out your extension to anyone or take messages for you. Giving a caller your extension means that you can receive voice mail messages day or night. Voice Mail Set Up 2 nd and 3 rd floors: Dial 440 from your phone. Password is 0000 To change your password, dial 8 and then 2 Set up 4 th floor: Dial 440 from the phone in the kitchen. Then enter your alcove # Password is 0000 To change your password, dial 8 and then 2 To Listen to your Messages 2 nd and 3 rd floors: Phones in the rooms have a message waiting light. If the light is blinking, there is a message waiting to be retrieved. To listen to your messages, pick up your phone and dial 440 and then enter your password. 4 th floor extensions do not have message waiting lights. To check for messages - dial 440 from the phone in the 4 th floor kitchen and then, dial your extension number, and password. After listening to your messages To delete the message, press 3. You may save a message if necessary by pressing 4. Your voice mail is limited to 15 messages so please listen to and delete your messages daily. Outgoing Calls Each floor will have a courtesy phone to be used for outgoing calls only. You may use it for local calls or long distance if you have a calling card. This is a shared line so please keep your calls limited to 10 minutes. To check your messages from outside of the building: Dial As soon as the voic greeting begins press the # key and then your extension, then follow instructions.

3 YWCA of Bellingham Transitional Housing Program Rules Meet with the Housing Director monthly, or as requested by the Housing Director. This time is used for planning, problem solving and finding resources. You may make an appointment with, or leave a message for the Housing Director at the office. Please notify the Housing Director or Office Manager ahead of time if you need to re-schedule or cancel. The program fee is due the 1 st of each month. Payments are made at the office. Payment is considered past due if not received by the 5 th of the month. To make special payment arrangements, talk to the Housing Director. Unless special payment arrangements have been made in advance, move-out proceedings will begin. If you are required to leave, you will lose your deposit refund. Please give written notice of intent to leave at least fourteen (14) days in advance. Forms for this are available at the office. Failing to give adequate notice may require the YWCA to charge you for the 14 days. Strictly observe quiet hours between 10:00pm and 7:00am, every day and 11:00 pm to 8:00am Saturday night. Door slamming, shouting or running in the halls is not permitted at any time. Televisions, stereos, phone ringers and answering machines, etc. are to be turned low at all times. Use of the kitchen, floor phone, laundry facilities and vacuum are not permitted during quiet hours. If you plan to be away for more than one night, please let the Housing Director and Security know the dates you will be out of the building. This is for your protection. In the event of an emergency, it is important the YWCA knows the status of residents. A Security Staff person is available evenings and weekends. The role of Security is to secure the building, take charge in an emergency, respond to safety and building needs, and represent the YWCA to the public. She can be reached by calling 125. Phone and cable service: There are hookups available in each room for phone and cable service. Free wireless internet (WiFi) is available in most of the building. You may choose to get these at your own expense, once you have paid your deposit and membership fees in full, and do not owe any late program fees. If you need help with a budget estimation of these services, please see the Housing Director before installation. Be fully dressed every day, including the lobby, hallway, kitchen, and stairway; especially when conducting business at the front desk, checking mail or leaving the building. Nudity in any area other than the shower area is not permitted. If you wish to operate a business on the YWCA premises, you must get prior written consent from the Housing Director. No one may use the YWCA address as a business address. Report any problems with shared appliances, plumbing or within your room immediately to the Office Manager or to Security during evenings and weekends. This is important for the safety and convenience of all.

4 YWCA of Bellingham Emergency Housing Program Rules Meet with the Housing Director weekly or as requested by Housing Director. This time is used for planning, problem solving and finding resources. This time is also used to plan for housing after the Emergency Program. Strictly observe the 10:00pm to 7:00am curfew on the 4 th floor. Residents must be in their alcoves and ready to be quiet for the night. After 10:00 pm there will be no shower, kitchen, telephone or laundry use, No visiting, TV, radio or music playing. If a resident is absent at 10:00 pm or overnight from the building without prior permission from the Housing Director, the resident is subject to loss of housing. On Saturday nights, curfew time is 11:00pm to 8:00am. NO GUESTS ARE PERMITTED ON THE FOURTH FLOOR AT ANY TIME. Attend 4 th floor classes and community meetings offered by the Housing Program. If you are unable to attend, please talk with the Housing Director ahead of time. A Security Staff person is available evenings and weekends. The role of Security is to secure the building, take charge in an emergency, respond to safety and building needs, and represent the YWCA to the public. She can be reached by calling 125. Be fully dressed every day, including the lobby, main living area, hallway, kitchen, and stairway; especially when conducting business at the front desk, checking mail or leaving the building. Nudity or bare feet in any area other than the shower area are not permitted. Alcoves that are abandoned will be packed up and the space will be given to someone else. Any items left in the alcove will be given to charity. The YWCA is not responsible for left articles. Report any problems with shared appliances, plumbing or within your alcove to the Office Manager, or to Security during evenings and weekends, immediately. This is important for the safety and convenience of all.

5 YWCA of Bellingham Housing Program Facility Safety Rules YOU MUST LEAVE THE BUILDING AS SOON AS YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM. USE THE STAIRS. Go directly across the alley to the parking area next to the church. DO NOT TOUCH SPRINKLER HEAD IN ALCOVE OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE BUILDING. Never attempt to remove or cover a smoke detector or sprinkler head. The following are NOT PERMITTED in the building at any time for any reason: SMOKING IN THE BUILDING OR ON YWCA GROUNDS. Smoking is permitted at the cement table in the front yard only. Otherwise, you need to cross a street from the YWCA. There is no smoking in cars in the parking lot. Weapons of any kind. Open flames, candles or incense burning. Cooking in rooms or alcoves. Kitchen facilities are available to all residents on each floor. Maximum 600-watt microwave may be used in rooms for heating food only. Do not make popcorn in a room microwave. Use the kitchen microwave for popcorn and turn on the fan. SPACE HEATERS. There is heat in every room and alcove, which residents may adjust. Never set the heater dial below number 1. To lower the heat further, you may close the flap on the heater. Unsanitary conditions in rooms or alcoves. Please store and dispose of food and trash appropriately. There must be clear access from your bed to the door. Personal items in the hallway. Halls must be kept completely clear at all times. Please do not store or leave any item outside a room or alcove due to fire safety laws. Keep fire exit stairways and landings free and clear at all times. Unauthorized locks on doors. Changing locks on doors. Duplication of keys to the building and or rooms. If a key is lost, please see the office or security immediately. There is a $10.00 replacement fee per key. Do not hang pictures or install curtains without permission from the Office. We have a staff person who will assist you. Do not paint rooms or alcoves. The room doors on the 2 nd and 3 rd floors are not to have anything hung on the outside of them. FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL RESIDENTS AND THE CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF THE YWCA, THESE RULES WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

6 YWCA of Bellingham Alcohol and Drug Policy The YWCA Housing Program provides housing and services to women in transition. For some, that includes recovery from addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. In order to provide a safe place for all the women who live here, and for staff and guests, the YWCA has a policy of no tolerance for drugs and alcohol. Violation of this policy may lead to being required to leave the YWCA Housing Program. The following are prohibited at all times on YWCA premises: Use of alcohol or illegal drugs. Possession, sale or purchase of alcohol, illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia. Use of prescription drugs in a manner other than how they are prescribed or by a person other than to whom they are prescribed. To be under the influence of alcohol or illegal or non-prescribed drugs.. If you believe that you have a problem with use or addiction to alcohol or drugs, the Housing Director can provide information and support to help you get a substance abuse evaluation, enter into detox, enter into a treatment program, work with your current treatment provider, or connect you with other resources that will help you maintain recovery. Recovery activities may be required for you to continue your participation in the YWCA Housing Program. You may also be required to maintain an open release with your treatment provider and other professionals you may be working with. I, have read the above policy and rules and agree to abide by it. I fully understand that I may be required to leave the YWCA Housing Program if I fail to follow these rules. I also agree to make every effort to cooperate in creating a safe and harmonious atmosphere while a resident at the YWCA. Signature Date

7 YWCA of Bellingham Housing Program Guest Rules For the safety and security, privacy and comfort of YWCA residents, guest rules are strictly enforced. You are responsible for knowing the guest rules, and for the actions of your guests. Violation of guest rules may result in losing your housing at the YWCA. A guest is any person who does not live on your floor or work at the YWCA. Guests may visit between 10:00AM and 10:00PM, seven days a week. Both female and male guests are welcome. Public restrooms are available in the basement for guest use. Guests are allowed on the 2 nd and 3 rd floors only. There are no guests allowed on the 4 th floor. All residents may visit with guests in the lobby and in the ballroom when it is not in use. All guests must be signed in and out by the resident who is responsible for them. The sign-in is located on a clipboard in front of the office. You are responsible for your guests behavior. You must be with your guest at all times. This means you must meet your guests in the lobby when they arrive, stay with them at all times, and walk them to the lobby when they leave. You must walk male guests to the lobby so they can use the public restroom in the basement, wait for them, and walk with them back upstairs. Female guests may use the bathroom on your floor and must be escorted to and from the bathroom. No resident should ever see anyone above the lobby who is not a resident or employee of the YWCA, unless they are with a resident or employee of the YWCA. Guests are not allowed in the kitchen or to use the phone or laundry on your floor. Guests may use the phone in the lobby and must keep calls to 5 minutes. You must still stay with your guest, even if she is a resident of another floor of the YWCA. You must meet her at the door to your floor, and walk her back to the door when she leaves. She may not use the laundry, phone, or kitchen on any floor but her own Never let anyone into the building who is not your guest. Do not let anyone in even if you know them and know they have been a recent or frequent guest of another resident. You can say that the rules don t allow you to let them in. Never give information to a guest about a where a resident is, or that she does or does not live here. This is for the safety of everyone at the YWCA. Please be in the lobby to greet your guests. Alert your guests that you need to know when they are coming. Please tell them your room number so they can call you from the lobby when they show up if you are not there to greet them. The Office Manager and Security are unable to be a receptionist for residents. Phone Calls Please let people who may call you know your voice mail extension number so their calls can be put through to your room voice mail. Your extension is your room number. If the caller does not know your extension number the call will not be put through. The office does not take phone messages. The Office Manager will neither confirm nor deny that anyone is a current or past YWCA resident. This means she can t answer questions about who is, was, or will be staying here.

8 YWCA of Bellingham Housing Program Miscellaneous Laundry There is a washer and dryer on each floor. The washer is $1.25 and the dryer is $1.00 for 1 hour. Hours for laundry are 7:00am to 10:00pm, Sundays beginning at 8:00am. Laundry must be done by 10:00pm, so please plan ahead. The machines will be turned off at 10:00pm. The YWCA does not furnish change or laundry detergent. If a washer or dryer has finished laundry in it, you may carefully remove it in order to do your laundry. Please do not attempt to remove laundry while the washer is running. Please report any problems immediately. Parking Parking is provided free for residents in the alley lot just south of the building. Please get a parking permit for your vehicle from the office. Parking is on a first come, first served basis, so you may have to park on the street if the lot is full. Please do not park in lots belonging to the Church. Guests should park on the street unless they are unable to walk up the stairs to the front entry. Only one car per resident is allowed. The car must be in running condition and properly parked. Please do not back into parking spaces to protect the garden from exhaust. Elevator The elevator is for residents who have special medical needs or are taking medications that would make it hazardous for them to use the stairs. The Housing Director will determine if you will be assigned an elevator key. If you need a key for temporary use, please borrow a key from the Office Manager and return it when you are finished. Borrowed keys must be signed out. Newspaper The Bellingham Herald is delivered to the YWCA daily. Residents may read the paper in the lobby. PLEASE, DO NOT TAKE THE PAPER FROM THE LOBBY. Mailboxes Mailboxes are in the hall beside the main office. Staff distributes the mail when it arrives Monday through Friday. Saturday it is distributed by Security. Outgoing mail may be left at the front desk Monday through Friday. Phones The phone in your room is for voice mail or internal calls only. It will not ring when there is an outside call. You will receive announcements from the Office Manager or Housing Director on this phone. If you have a message, the red light on your phone will blink. If you have problems with your phone, let the Office Manager know. There is a phone on every floor, including the lobby, for making local calls. If the red light is on, someone is using the phone line. The only phone that can be used during quiet hours is the one in the lobby. There are phone books on every floor. Do not make any calls to Information. Making Information calls may result in loss of phone privileges. PLEASE LIMIT CALLS TO 10 MINUTES. Pets and Service Animals There are no pets allowed at the YWCA. Service animals are allowed after proper documentation has been received by the Housing Director and an agreement is signed. If you see a service animal, do not attempt to pet it or feed it. Please ask the Housing Director if you have questions. Lobby The main floor lobby is a public area. You may visit with guests in the lobby, however it is not to be treated as a living room. There is no eating in the lobby. When there are events in the Ballroom, please be quiet and courteous. Bathroom Use/Hair-coloring: There is to be no use of hair-coloring in the bathroom, kitchen or rooms. I f you need to color your hair, please arrange a time when the men s bathroom does not need to be open for the public or guests with a security staff or talk to the housing director. Hair should never be washed in the kitchen sink.

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10 YWCA of Bellingham Housing Program Miscellaneous continued Abandoned Belongings: The YWCA is not responsible for any abandoned items. If you are required to leave the YWCA, any belongings left behind are considered abandoned. The YWCA does not store any items whatsoever. Bicycles: Residents may park bicycles under the fire escape in the rack provided. It is highly recommended that you lock your bicycle. The door to the fire escape is sometimes left open by mistake. This bike rack is for use by residents only. Back to Work Boutique: The YWCA has a free clothing program for residents and community members. Appointments are required and limited to every six months. If you would like an appointment, please ask at the front desk. Community Clothing Give-away: Quarterly there is a community clothing give-away held in the Ballroom. Residents are welcome to browse for clothing. If residents volunteer to help set-up or clean-up, they have first dibs on clothing. Magic Closet: Next to the Resident Computer, you will find the MAGIC CLOSET. Inside the closet, there will be random clothing items for you to choose from. Items such as pajamas sweatshirts,casual clothes, or just something fun. You don t have to sign up or even let us know that you chose anything. We will try to keep it regularly stocked with new items. Please leave it neat & tidy for the next resident when you are finished. Please make sure that all residents get a chance to browse. If we find it constantly empty or messy, the magic closet will magically disappear! Bus Tickets: Whatcom Transportation Authority allows us to give bus tickets to residents who have no income, usually newer residents, for a short time. The maximum we can give is 12 tickets weekly. Please check with the Housing Director if you need bus tickets. If she determines that you are eligible for them, ask at the front desk or leave a note in the drop box and we will leave them in your mailbox. If you have a documented disability you are eligible for a half-price bus pass from WTA or you may be eligible for a free bus pass from the Northwest Regional Council. Otherwise, please purchase a monthly or quarterly bus pass at the bus station downtown. Keys: Keys should never be left unattended for security reasons. If keys are lost, there is a replacement fee. If a resident is accidentally locked out of their room or the building, security or the YWCA staff will loan keys. Keys must be signed out and returned within the day loaned. Repeated lock-outs or missing keys will result in a meeting with the housing director and possible fine. Whom Do I Ask? If you need a boutique appointment or an appointment with the Housing Director: please see the Office Manager at the Front Desk. If you need help with housing, counseling, referrals, bus tickets or issues with other residents: please see the Housing Director. An appointment will most likely be needed. If there is a problem with the building, your room, the kitchen or bathroom: please leave a note for the Operations Manager at the front desk or drop box.

11 YWCA of Bellingham Housing Program Kitchen Agreement I agree to sign up for kitchen duty on the calendar on the refrigerator on my floor. If I am sick or going to be away during any of the days I signed up for kitchen duty, I will trade schedules with another resident or otherwise ensure that my duties are completed. On the 2 nd and 3 rd floors, a kitchen duty shift lasts for 4 days; on the 4 th floor a shift is for a full week of 7 days. The requirements for kitchen duty are posted on the refrigerator. All residents are responsible for kitchen duty whether they use the kitchen or not. EACH DAY during my kitchen duty I will: Clean sink and counter tops using the cleaning products supplied by the YWCA. Empty trash and recycling in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area. Sweep the kitchen and bathroom floors. Clean the stove, stove vent hood, refrigerator top and microwave using the cleaning products supplied by the YWCA. Clean the Starbuck s pastry box and throw away stale pastries. Complete kitchen duty before 10:00pm when quiet hours begin. I agree that I will: NO KITCHEN USE BEFORE 7:00 AM OR AFTER 10:00PM (Saturday after 10:00PM and Sundays before 8:00 AM) Clean up after myself immediately after each use, which means, wash, dry and put away dishes and clean counters, sink and appliances. ALWAYS TURN STOVE VENT FAN ON WHEN COOKING! Never leave burners unattended. Stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you need to leave the kitchen, even to go to your room or the bathroom, TURN THE STOVE OFF. Store all food properly and not let it spoil. Use the kitchen on my floor only. Please remember that this is a community living situation and that it makes a difference for everyone on your floor when you leave the kitchen clean. When one resident does not fulfill her responsibilities, it creates a hardship for everyone else. The purpose of this agreement is to maintain a clean and comfortable kitchen on my floor for all of us to use and enjoy. I understand that if I choose not to follow this agreement that I may be asked to leave the YWCA. I, have read the above rules and agree to abide by them. I understand that I may be required to leave the YWCA Housing Program if I fail to follow these rules. I also agree to make every effort to cooperate in creating a safe and harmonious atmosphere while a resident at the YWCA. Signature Date

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