Razing the Bar was founded in 2017 by Dontae Lartigue and Ty Thompson, out of Dontae’s own years in foster care and what they taught him about what young people need to make it home.
The story
It started with one story.
Dontae entered foster care at age five, separated from his siblings, including his twin sister. He spent much of his youth inside public systems.
He saw the gaps in those systems from the inside, and set out to change them. He became an advocate for young people in foster care, and local nonprofits that had served him shared his story in their own campaigns to improve outcomes for foster youth.
His story made one thing plain: what changes a young person’s life is a positive, nurturing, permanent relationship, and a stable place to live while they build everything else.
In 2017, Dontae reached out to Ty Thompson, a former mentor. Ty had worked across probation, foster care, special education, and general assistance, and knew firsthand how relationships change behavior. Together they built the model and named it Razing the Bar.
What we believe
Young people have to feel cared for before anything else can take hold.
Raze
To tear down completely, to the ground.
The bar
The low expectations systems set for young people who grow up without a safety net.
Razing the Bar
Rebuilding, from the ground up, how systems serve young people who have been under-resourced.
Timeline
The road so far.
Age 5
The beginning
Dontae enters foster care.
Separated from his siblings, he grows up inside public systems and sees their gaps firsthand.
2017
Founding
Razing the Bar is born.
Dontae Lartigue and Ty Thompson, his former mentor, design the model and choose the name.
2017
June
The first homes.
A local real estate investor offers reduced rent so Razing the Bar can house young people experiencing homelessness.
2017
One month in
Six young people housed.
Within a month of its founding, Razing the Bar is providing housing support to six young people.
2018
One year in
Proof the model works.
Five of the first six participants see significant earnings gains, averaging more than a 20% wage increase, and more than half set their sights on higher education.
2023
December
Federal permanent supportive housing.
A HUD Continuum of Care permanent supportive housing grant begins, expanding housing and services in Santa Clara County.
OUR HISTORY
Built by someone
who lived it.
Razing the Bar was founded in 2017 by Dontae Lartigue and Ty Thompson, out of Dontae’s own years in foster care and what they taught him about what young people need to make it home.
It started
with one story.
Dontae entered foster care at age five, separated from his siblings, including his twin sister. He spent much of his youth inside public systems.
He saw the gaps in those systems from the inside, and set out to change them. He became an advocate for young people in foster care, and local nonprofits that had served him shared his story in their own campaigns to improve outcomes for foster youth.
His story made one thing plain: what changes a young person’s life is a positive, nurturing, permanent relationship, and a stable place to live while they build everything else.
In 2017, Dontae reached out to Ty Thompson, a former mentor. Ty had worked across probation, foster care, special education, and general assistance, and knew firsthand how relationships change behavior. Together they built the model and named it Razing the Bar.
Young people have to feel cared for before anything else can take hold.
Raze
To tear down completely, to the ground.
The bar
The low expectations systems set for young people who grow up without a safety net.
Razing the Bar
Rebuilding, from the ground up, how systems serve young people who have been under-resourced.
The road
so far.
Dontae enters foster care.
Separated from his siblings, he grows up inside public systems and sees their gaps firsthand.
Razing the Bar is born.
Dontae Lartigue and Ty Thompson, his former mentor, design the model and choose the name.
The first homes.
A local real estate investor offers reduced rent so Razing the Bar can house young people experiencing homelessness.
Six young people housed.
Within a month of its founding, Razing the Bar is providing housing support to six young people.
Proof the model works.
Five of the first six participants see significant earnings gains, averaging more than a 20% wage increase, and more than half set their sights on higher education.
Federal permanent supportive housing.
A HUD Continuum of Care permanent supportive housing grant begins, expanding housing and services in Santa Clara County.
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program renewed.
HUD renews Razing the Bar’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program grant in the San José / Santa Clara City