To expand opportunities for homeownership in Southern Oregon by building and
managing permanently affordable homes.
Resilience, Collaboration, Stewardship, Diversity, Adaptability, Accountability
A diverse, vibrant community with adequate housing for all.
Trusted Homes was founded by a dedicated group of local leaders and community members who recognize the urgent need for affordable homeownership options in Southern Oregon. Since 2024, we’ve been committed to making homeownership possible for residents across diverse income levels, creating opportunities for families to secure stable, affordable homes in the communities they love.
With support from partners like the City of Ashland and other local governments and institutions, we are working to expand homeownership options through community-led stewardship. By maintaining long-term affordability, we help ensure that land in our region remains a community asset for generations to come, providing a sustainable solution to our area’s housing challenges.
Trusted Homes is driven by the vision of a future where our communities have enough affordable housing to sustain vibrant, inclusive, and resilient neighborhoods. Through our commitment to stewardship, we make it possible for families and individuals to put down roots, thrive, and build secure futures. We’re passionate about preserving the diversity that makes Southern Oregon strong and ensuring that everyone has access to a place they can call home.
Jessica Therkelsen is a resident of Ashland, a parent to two young children, and a lifelong believer in the inherent rights and dignity of all people. She is a lawyer with extensive experience in nonprofit leadership and management, and spends her free time in the garden or with her nose in a book. Jessica has worked with teams of advocates all over the world to design and implement social justice programs.
Leigh Madsen has lived in the valley and raised his family here since 1978. For the last 20 years he has served the low income and homeless residents of Ashland from a variety of positions including as the executive director of Options for Homeless Residents of Ashland (OHRA).
Today if you don’t find Leigh at the Ashland Library you will find him in the woods, at the river, or just walking the streets of Ashland with his dog Tulla.
Barbara is an integrative therapist licensed in Oregon and California with over 30 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. She appreciates the importance of developing relationship and conflict resolution skills on an individual basis, in order to understand and resolve shared challenges in the larger community. Barbara is a resident of Ashland and an avid gardener who believes that safe, affordable housing is a human right.
Linda Adams retired to Southern Oregon in 2011 and began a career of civic engagement, joining fellow citizens whose goals are to promote the common good through progressive action in housing, transportation, climate, economic and social justice. Currently, she serves on the City of Ashland’s Transportation Advisory Committee and the Citizens’ Budget Committee and boards of the Ashland Food Project and Be the Change Rogue.
Barry Braden returned to Oregon and retired to the Rogue Valley in 2019 after a career working for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Barry was a founding Board member of the Jackson County Community Long Term Recovery Group responding to the recovery needs of the local residents after the Almeda wildfire of 2020. He is actively engaged in providing Food Bank services with ACCESS at the First United Methodist Church of Ashland for residents that are experiencing food insecurities. Barry is an alumnus of Oregon State University and a veteran of the US Air Force.
Jacob Cook is a native Oregonian and has called Southern Oregon home for the last 15 years after living in multiple cities across the state. He works for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as the Finance Coordinator managing their finances, contracts, and grants. Jacob has a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Policy from Oregon State University with an emphasis in rural communities. In his leisure time Jacob is an avid outdoorsman, reader, and active member of his local church.
Michael Duffy has lived in Ashland, Oregon since 2018, where he resides in a community land trust home. Michael is an alumnus of Southern Oregon University and a veteran of the US Air Force, Security Forces.
Diane Garcia spent the last 20 years leading nonprofits in Oregon, retiring in 2017 after serving for 14 years as Executive Director of Southern Oregon Land Conservancy. Her background includes Real Estate, Program management and fundraising. She’s a 50+ year Oregon resident, living in Ashland, Eugene and now Jackson County on a small farm. Diane volunteers with the Ashland Chamber of Commerce and ACCESS, and is the founder of the Rogue Valley Peace Choir.
Rich Rohde
Jim Stumbo
Krista Palmer
Tonya Graham – Ashland Mayor
Brandon Goldman – City of Ashland Community Development Director
Linda Reid – City of Ashland Housing Specialist
Alex Campbell – City Manager of Talent OR
Endorsements from Local Officials and Housing Advocates
The development of Trusted Homes is critical to the ability of our communities to develop desperately needed affordable housing. I support this effort because the organizers recognize the long-term impacts that previous housing policies have had on historically marginalized populations and share the City of Ashland’s commitment to ensuring that our region is a diverse, equitable, and including community.
Mayor of Ashland
State Senator, District 3
Sunstone Housing Collaborative fully supports the Trusted Homes Organizing Committee in their request for funding the creation of a community land trust which will hold land in perpetuity and sell or lease the housing on the land at below-market rate prices.
Krista Palmer, President
Daniel Ruby, Incorporator
Jill Franko, Incorporator
Virginia Camberos
Rogue Valley Regional Director
Board of Directors Statement
New Spirit Village
