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. Read our history.
2017Founded in San José
10Homes across Santa Clara County
34Organizations standing with us
Home by home
How the homes grew.
Milestone · June 2017
Razing the Bar opens its first home
In June 2017, a local real estate investor offered Razing the Bar a home at reduced rent. Within a month, six young people were housed (Razing the Bar, n.d.).
Our first cohort completes its three-year rental subsidy
At the end of 2020, Razing the Bar’s first cohort completed its full three-year rental subsidy and remained stably housed, paying market-rate rent (Razing the Bar, 2021a).
A hike, a bike ride, and our first monthly community meal
In May 2021, Razing the Bar hiked Santa Teresa County Park on May 8, rode the Los Gatos Creek Trail on May 22 on bikes from Sports Basement, and held its first monthly community meal on May 23 at Action Spot (Razing the Bar, 2021b).
Foundations, companies, volunteers, and collaborators make every home, every mentor, and every meal possible. See every organization on our supporters wall.
Thank you · December 2021
Thank you, Sobrato Family Foundation
The Sobrato Family Foundation awarded Razing the Bar a two-year grant for general operations. Razing the Bar is a grantee of the Sobrato Centers for Nonprofits (Sobrato Philanthropies, n.d.). Thank you.
CalMatters profiles Dontae Lartigue in its California Divide series
CalMatters’ California Divide series, co-published with the Mercury News, featured Dontae Lartigue in a story on monthly basic income for youth aging out of foster care: “Former foster youth Dontae Lartigue works at his non-profit in San Jose, Razing the Bar” (Hellerstein, 2020).
The Giving List Bay Area: “Turning Institutions Into Family”
The Giving List Bay Area profiled Razing the Bar: “We want to create support that sees youth as whole people, not merely as data points” (The Giving List Bay Area, 2022).
Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits · October 2023
Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits names Razing the Bar a Nonprofit of the Year
On October 26, 2023, the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits honored Razing the Bar, together with Elevate Community Center, with its Nonprofit of the Year Award at Be Our Guest 2023 (Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, 2023).
County of Santa Clara: “Nonprofit Leader Transforms Adversity into Mentorship for Foster Youth”
The County of Santa Clara newsroom profiled Dontae Lartigue and Razing the Bar: “Razing the Bar is founded on building relationships that are really powerful and meaningful” (County of Santa Clara, n.d.).
SJSU Magazine’s Spring 2026 issue profiled Dontae Lartigue, ’18 Psychology: “I don’t think any young person should emancipate and end up homeless” (Jackson, 2026).
The young adults in our homes are never asked to share their stories, and we do not publish their names, photos, or addresses.
If you have stood with Razing the Bar as a donor, volunteer, or collaborator and want to share why, write to information@razingthebar.org. Nothing is published without your written permission.
Be part of the next chapter
Help write what comes next.
Your gift goes to the Open Door Fund, wherever the need is greatest.
OUR STORIES
A community
that stays.
How Razing the Bar grew, home by home, and the people and organizations who stand with the young adults in our homes.
One story
became a home.
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. Read our history.
How the homes grew.
Razing the Bar opens its first home
In June 2017, a local real estate investor offered Razing the Bar a home at reduced rent. Within a month, six young people were housed (Razing the Bar, n.d.).
Read the story →Our first cohort completes its three-year rental subsidy
At the end of 2020, Razing the Bar’s first cohort completed its full three-year rental subsidy and remained stably housed, paying market-rate rent (Razing the Bar, 2021a).
Read the story →Every bed filled
In November 2021, every bed in Razing the Bar’s shared home was filled.
Read the story →Razing the Bar signs its first federal housing grant
On October 6, 2022, Razing the Bar signed its first grant under HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.
Read the story →Three new homes in Santa Clara, San José, and Sunnyvale
In February 2024, Razing the Bar secured three new homes in the cities of Santa Clara, San José, and Sunnyvale.
Read the story →Permanent Supportive Housing begins
Razing the Bar’s HUD-funded Permanent Supportive Housing project began September 1, 2025. HUD’s FY2024 award report lists “Razing The Bar: PSH” at $1,950,810 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2025).
Read the story →More than a place
to sleep.
Dinners, hikes, camping trips, and holidays together. Today, our weekly Community Market carries that table forward.
A holiday dinner to honor our young people
In December 2018, Razing the Bar held a holiday dinner to honor the young people in its program.
Read the story →Camping at Del Valle
Young people and staff spent July 19–21, 2019, camping at Del Valle Campground.
Read the story →A hike, a bike ride, and our first monthly community meal
In May 2021, Razing the Bar hiked Santa Teresa County Park on May 8, rode the Los Gatos Creek Trail on May 22 on bikes from Sports Basement, and held its first monthly community meal on May 23 at Action Spot (Razing the Bar, 2021b).
Read the story →Community dinners, every month
In 2021, Razing the Bar held community dinners on the last Sunday of every month for young people, mentors, and neighbors.
Read the story →A holiday toy drive and dinners
Razing the Bar joined Concrete Rose Coalition and Capitol Club for a holiday toy drive and dinners at Pivotal.
Read the story →Foster Unity
On May 27, 2023, Razing the Bar took part in Foster Unity with Concrete Rose Coalition and Young Women’s Freedom Center.
Read the story →Every home has
a village.
Foundations, companies, volunteers, and collaborators make every home, every mentor, and every meal possible. See every organization on our supporters wall.
Thank you, Sobrato Family Foundation
The Sobrato Family Foundation awarded Razing the Bar a two-year grant for general operations. Razing the Bar is a grantee of the Sobrato Centers for Nonprofits (Sobrato Philanthropies, n.d.). Thank you.
Read the story →Thank you, Zoom Cares Fund
Thank you to the Zoom Cares Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation, for its grant in support of Razing the Bar.
Read the story →Thank you, Tipping Point Community
Thank you to Tipping Point Community for its 2023 grant support.
Read the story →Thank you, Connie & Bob Lurie Foundation
Thank you to the Connie & Bob Lurie Foundation for its general operating support.
Read the story →Thank you, Youth of Tomorrow Fund
Thank you to the Youth of Tomorrow Fund, a fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, for its grant supporting Razing the Bar’s youth programs.
Read the story →Thank you, Sports Basement
Sports Basement welcomed Razing the Bar “as a community partner and Basementeer beneficiary” (Sports Basement, n.d.). Thank you.
Read the story →A new home for young women
In summer 2023, Razing the Bar opened a new home for young women, with volunteers assembling furniture before move-in.
Read the story →John Hogan, Volunteer Fractional Chief Financial Officer
John Hogan, MBA, serves as Razing the Bar’s Volunteer Fractional Chief Financial Officer.
Read the story →Razing the Bar and work2future sign a worksite agreement
Razing the Bar and work2future signed a work experience worksite agreement, adding paid placements to Razing the Bar’s pathway.
Read the story →What others have said.
CalMatters profiles Dontae Lartigue in its California Divide series
CalMatters’ California Divide series, co-published with the Mercury News, featured Dontae Lartigue in a story on monthly basic income for youth aging out of foster care: “Former foster youth Dontae Lartigue works at his non-profit in San Jose, Razing the Bar” (Hellerstein, 2020).
Read the story →PBS NewsHour: lived experience at the center of solutions to homelessness
PBS NewsHour featured Destination: Home’s Lived Experience Advisory Board: “Its Executive Committee, led by Dontae Lartigue, oversees the 16-member board” (Sy, 2021).
Read the story →The Giving List Bay Area: “Turning Institutions Into Family”
The Giving List Bay Area profiled Razing the Bar: “We want to create support that sees youth as whole people, not merely as data points” (The Giving List Bay Area, 2022).
Read the story →Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits names Razing the Bar a Nonprofit of the Year
On October 26, 2023, the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits honored Razing the Bar, together with Elevate Community Center, with its Nonprofit of the Year Award at Be Our Guest 2023 (Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, 2023).
Read the story →Eight interns through the County’s youth career program
San José Spotlight reported on the County of Santa Clara’s youth career program: “This year, Razing the Bar hosted eight interns” (Gabbert, 2026).
Read the story →County of Santa Clara: “Nonprofit Leader Transforms Adversity into Mentorship for Foster Youth”
The County of Santa Clara newsroom profiled Dontae Lartigue and Razing the Bar: “Razing the Bar is founded on building relationships that are really powerful and meaningful” (County of Santa Clara, n.d.).
Read the story →SJSU Magazine: Alumni in Action, Dontae Lartigue
SJSU Magazine’s Spring 2026 issue profiled Dontae Lartigue, ’18 Psychology: “I don’t think any young person should emancipate and end up homeless” (Jackson, 2026).
Read the story →Their stories
are theirs.
The young adults in our homes are never asked to share their stories, and we do not publish their names, photos, or addresses.
If you have stood with Razing the Bar as a donor, volunteer, or collaborator and want to share why, write to information@razingthebar.org. Nothing is published without your written permission.
Help write what
comes next.
Your gift goes to the Open Door Fund, wherever the need is greatest.
References
County of Santa Clara. (n.d.). Nonprofit leader transforms adversity into mentorship for foster youth. https://news.santaclaracounty.gov/nonprofit-leader-transforms-adversity-mentorship-foster-youth
Gabbert, L. (2026, August 21). Youth career program pays dividends. San José Spotlight. https://sanjosespotlight.com/santa-clara-county-youth-career-program-pays-dividends/
Hellerstein, E. (2020, January 13). Why one county is exploring giving $1,000 monthly to every youth aging out of foster care. CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/01/why-one-bay-area-county-is-exploring-giving-1000-to-every-youth-aging-out-of-foster-care/
Jackson, J. H. (2026). Alumni in action: Dontae Lartigue. SJSU Magazine, Spring 2026. https://www.sjsu.edu/magazine/archive/2026-spring/dontae-lartigue.html
Razing the Bar. (2021, April). Razing the Bar newsletter: April 2021. https://www.razingthebar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/RTB-Newsletter-April-2021-.pdf
Razing the Bar. (2021, May). Razing the Bar newsletter: May 2021. https://www.razingthebar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/RTB-Newsletter-May-2021.pdf
Razing the Bar. (n.d.). Our history. https://www.razingthebar.org/about/history/
Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits. (2023). Be Our Guest 2023. https://www.svcn.org/be-our-guest-2023
Sobrato Philanthropies. (n.d.). Directory of SCNP grantees. https://www.sobrato.com/sobrato-philanthropies/thriving-communities/sobrato-centers-for-nonprofits-scnp/directory-of-scnp-grantees/
Sports Basement. (n.d.). Basementeer spotlight: Razing the Bar. https://www.sportsbasement.com/blogs/news/basementeer-spotlight-razing-the-bar
Sy, S. (2021, July 6). Input from the unhoused may be crucial solution to homelessness in San Francisco [Video]. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/input-from-the-unhoused-may-be-crucial-solution-to-homelessness-in-san-francisco
The Giving List Bay Area. (2022, November 18). Razing the Bar: Turning institutions into family. https://www.givinglistbayarea.com/2022/11/18/razing-the-bar-turning-institutions-into-family/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2025). FY2024 Continuum of Care award report: California. https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CPD/documents/CoC/CoC-2024-CA_Press.pdf