History: In October of 2014, California Regional made us a loan of $45,000 to help Sonoma Subud to salvage its mold-ridden, decrepit building: the carpets were stained and moldy, with asbestos and rotten particleboard beneath them; the windows were broken, the offices full of old storage. We had not paid our mortgage or our Regional pledges for over a year. The building was to be sold, and we would have no home.
We proposed a renovation plan that would turn our building into a successful enterprise, renting out both the back studio and our offices. We found a tenant, and put together a renovation budget. With a lot of help, the renovation was completed by Jan 1, 2015, and we have been renting the hall, the offices, and plowing the earnings back into equipment and into building improvements. But the investment and our progress are threatened by the prospect of a return of a severe mold infestation, due to both surface and underground water finding its way into the building’s crawlspace.
The Specter of Mold: Our Subud house lies on an underground river that turns our crawlspace to mud in the winter. Without the French drain, we will again be faced with an infestation of mold beneath our building, releasing toxic spores into our air. Surface water must be diverted by a trench drain.
The Project Budget: $25,000
Phase 1: Divert surface water coming from the parking lot with a trench drain: $ 6,300
Phase 2: Install a deep French drain to divert the underground flow to the back: $13, 800
Phase 3: Build wheelchair ramp and walkway for exiting the hall: $4,900
Grants: Applied for Eco Grant from the Muhammad Subuh Foundation (MSF) (to be reviewed in mid-September). Maximum grant: $5,000. Will apply for Biannual Grant (due 11/30/15). Maximum grant: not determined
MSF bases its grants not only upon need, but upon the success of other efforts by the local chapter to raise money for the project!
Donations Needed: Our website has a donations button which allows contributions by credit card and via PayPal: www.sonoma.subudcalifornia.org. You can also visit our rental website at: www.sebastopolhall.com Thank you for taking time to consider helping us!
