Community guidelines
Safe Haven is built on mutual respect and trans-affirming values. These guidelines describe what we ask of everyone who participates in the program — hosts, renters, and staff alike. By joining Safe Haven, you agree to uphold them.
Trans-affirming conduct
Safe Haven is a trans-affirming space. Misgendering, dead-naming, or any conduct that demeans or disrespects someone's gender identity is grounds for immediate removal from the program. This applies to everyone: hosts, renters, and WERQ Together staff.
Mutual respect
Treat your housemate, navigator, and everyone connected to this program with dignity. You don't have to agree on everything, but you do need to engage in good faith. We're here to help work through differences — that's what our mediation process is for.
Privacy and confidentiality
Your personal information is shared only with WERQ Together staff and, once matched, your housemate. Don't share each other's contact details, home address, or identifying information with outside parties without explicit consent. Renters' identities are never disclosed to homeowners until a match is confirmed.
Communication through the process
When something isn't working, bring it to your navigator before taking unilateral action. That includes ending a tenancy, changing house rules, or escalating a dispute outside the program. We ask for good-faith engagement with our process first. We're reachable at safehaven@werqt.org or 503-660-8601.
Honesty in your application
We ask both hosts and renters to be honest about their situation, needs, and capacity. Misrepresentation — about housing conditions, health and safety, income, or living circumstances — harms the match and can result in removal from the program.
Safety comes first
If you feel unsafe at any point, contact us immediately. We will take it seriously. If there is an immediate threat, call 911. Non-emergency safety concerns go to your navigator or safehaven@werqt.org.
Living agreements
Every match includes a pre-mediation session to set clear expectations and a signed living agreement. Both parties are expected to honor that agreement. When circumstances change, we help renegotiate — not unilaterally override.
Participation in check-ins
We stay in touch at 2 weeks, 30, 60, and 90 days. We ask that both hosts and renters engage with those follow-ups. They exist to catch problems early and keep the placement healthy, not to create additional burden.
Removal from the program
WERQ Together may remove participants who violate these guidelines, endanger others, or act in bad faith. We do our best to give warnings and opportunities to correct course. If you believe a removal was in error, contact safehaven@werqt.org to request a review.
Questions about these guidelines? safehaven@werqt.org 503-660-8601. You can also read our FAQ or review the terms of service.