IKO and NWiR Step Up To Help SoCal Women’s Shelter

Alexandria House, a community-oriented transitional house and neighborhood center in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, has a new roof featuring IKO’s Cambridge® Weatherwood Cool Plus architectural shingles. Photo Courtesy of IKO.

HILLSBORO, Texas — After an electrical fire tore through Alexandria House, damaging the home and its roof, the SoCal Council of National Women in Roofing (NWiR) and several industry partners, including shingle manufacturer IKO, stepped forward to ensure that the shelter’s residents can take comfort in having a safe, secure roof overhead.

Located in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles, Alexandria House is a transitional residence that provides safe and supportive housing for women and children moving from emergency shelters to economic stability and permanent housing.

In March 2020, the second and third floors of the home caught fire and caused damage to the roof. With a replacement estimate in excess of $70,000 for the roof, and significant other damages to address inside the building, the home’s development director reached out to the SoCal Council of NWiR for help.

“When I received the phone call from Alexandria House, the first thought that came to mind was, ‘I’m going to call IKO,’” said NWiR Council Chair Maria Alcala.

She reached out to Juan Trujillo, IKO’s territory sales rep in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

“This whole project began when Maria, who works at RoofLine and is a member of NWiR, called and asked if IKO would be able to donate materials to help restore the house,” explained Trujillo. “IKO and its distributor, RoofLine, were able to provide 6,000 square feet of shingles for the project.”

Thanks to product support from IKO and local IKO distributor RoofLine Supply and Delivery, as well as labor donated by Final Touch Construction, roof construction wrapped up in mid-March of this year. The building is now sporting 60 squares of IKO’s Cambridge^®Weatherwood Cool Plus architectural shingles, which were used to comply with California’s Title 24, Part 6 cool roof requirements.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without IKO,” said Alcala. “It’s a beautiful job.”

Alexandria House is a community-oriented transitional house and neighborhood center. More than 92% of the women who have moved through its program have secured financial stability and permanent housing.