Housing is a key component to Cascadia’s whole health care model and is critical to improving health outcomes for our clients. This month, we’re featuring some of our housing staff, who help keep our residential locations running smoothly.

Marco has been working for Cascadia since 2016 as a Community Manager at Cascadia’s Midland Commons location.

Marco’s days are filled with a variety of tasks. The early mornings are generally spent sweeping and mopping common areas and checking emails. He then walks the property picking up trash before starting work on outstanding maintenance issues, including fixing burnt out light bulbs, tripped breakers, clogged p-traps and drains, bad wall outlets and more. Throughout the day, Marco also spends time to meet with residents who have tenant grievances, are struggling with mental health issues, or just want to chat.

As an onsite community manager at Cascadia, Marco is a resource and source of support to the residents Cascadia serves. The community manager’s role has three elements: landlord duties, light maintenance duties and mental health support. By providing all of these supports to Cascadia residents, the community manager helps fulfill Cascadia’s mission of providing whole health care.

“Being a community manager to a large population of Cascadia residents can often feel like a rollercoaster. Some days can feel overwhelming when working with residents in crisis, but those moments are balanced out by a greater sense of gratitude received from residents for simple acts such as changing a light bulb, keeping the common areas clean, or listening in a time of need.”