Zephyr describes himself as “one of the founding fathers” of the street community in Victoria, and says he was right here heading into Our Place on the very first day that it opened, almost 20 years ago now. He has tried out various supportive housing buildings over the years and gives his vote to the “old school” apartments that Cool Aid has at Gorge and Jutland (officially known as The Chestnut). “Those are the ones that feel the most normal and have the most freedoms,” says Zephyr. The building was redeveloped three years ago, but Cool Aid has run the former motel since 2006. Zephyr misses the days when people with low incomes could just find a regular apartment in their price range and move in. “Now, you’re looking at $2,700. Who has that?” Average rent has gone up 131 per cent since the day Zephyr first walked into Our Place.