SGV Regional Housing Trust recognizes Duarte Councilwoman Margaret Finlay

At its regular meeting on Aug. 13, the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust recognized Duarte Councilwoman and outgoing Board Member Margaret Finlay for her dedication to the project over the last four years. 

Created in February 2020, the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust is a joint powers authority that funds and finances the planning and construction of homeless housing and low-income housing projects. 

“We are so thankful for Margaret’s service and the integral part she played in those initial years. She’s been a part of the team that brought 1,000 different opportunities for housing for people in the San Gabriel Valley,” Monrovia Mayor Becky A. Shevlin said in a statement. “The housing trust is such an important project in the San Gabriel Valley and she’s made the program much better over the years. We want to thank Margaret for being on the ground floor. We’ve grown a lot and provided so many opportunities both with the tiny homes and building units, but we hope to become bigger and better every year.”

The SGVRHT is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors, seven of which are representatives from jurisdictions and two of which are experts in housing and homelessness. Finlay was one of the inaugural members of the SGVRHT and served as the At-Large Member Seat 2 on the board for four years. 

“When the program first started, my husband and I stayed the night in one of the tiny houses, and I think everyone needs to stay in them once to appreciate what people have to endure,” Finlay said in a statement. “The SGVRHT has a partnership with the City of Monrovia and Los Angeles County for our Pathway Homes now, so we will keep working to see what we can do to help a lot of people get back on their feet.”

For more information, watch the Aug. 13 council meeting.