The community of Big Sur is a diverse group that tends to give each other plenty of elbowroom, and shows it’s best side and comes together during emergencies and other occasional challenging circumstances.
In 2007, Mike donated money to The Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, and also to The Big Sur Affordable/Workforce Housing Committee’s efforts to bring low cost, green housing to those who live and work in Big Sur. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly difficult to find low-income housing, as low cost rentals become fewer and fewer. The effort also seeks to make sure that elders who have long resided in Big Sur can live out their years here, and not be forced to move due to reduced availability and rising prices of rentals.
In 2008, Mike was able to donate to Big Sur’s Coast Property Owner’s Association (CPOA), a 45 year old non-profit committed to looking out for Big Sur’s residents and environment. Among other things, CPOA was able to oversee the administering of over $500,000 in donations in 2008/2009 for the purpose of relief from the Basin Complex Fire along with developing future disaster preparedness preparations.
After extensive needs-assessment studies it was determined that one community elder, whose home completely burned in the Basin Complex fire, was dealing with the most dire of circumstances, much worse than anyone else. As of summer 2012, CPOA and members of it’s Affordable Housing Committee have completed the process of helping the community elder with the task of finding the resources to rebuild his home on the original home site.
