Homeless Issue #150/Homeless Village

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14 Forward Tiny Homes Village                  

County planned visit to a program in Yolo county.

 

The 14 Forward Tiny Homes Village’ located north of Sacramento at 940 14th St, Marysville, CA 95901, is, to the best of their knowledge, the first sanctioned Tiny Homes Community in California. Hangtown Haven proceeded it by 6 years.

 

It consists of 20 12′ x 8′ Tiny Houses constructed using Tuff Sheds,’ the interiors little more than a shell — no plumbing, electricity, cooking or heating, initially furnished solely with a bed or beds. Bathing, showering and food are provided in a church adjacent to the village, while laundry is off-site. Dogs are allowed on-site but not in the units.

 

The village is designed to be transitional — Intended for homeless people currently living out of doors who are to be provided with more permanent housing in 30-90 days, while attending to medical, mental health, and other needs of the residents.
 

The total cost to create the village is reported to have been $200,000 ($10,000 / unit), with some $100,000 spent on the Tuff Sheds” and their transformation. Some $100,000 was provided by Yuba County.

 

Most impressive is that the project took only a few months to come together, and just three weeks from arrival of the ordered Tuff Sheds until the village was ready to accept its first residents. (Can this County move that fast?) This is a demonstration of what can be done with a bit of organization and a lot of will. For less than off-quoted estimates of the cost of a single affordable unit, more than twenty people and their pets are no longer homeless, their ability to receive services has been enhanced, they needn’t worry every night if their possessions will be stolen while they sleep, and they can look forward to the prospect of getting permanent housing. A similar test project can and should be undertaken in Berkeley, Oakland or elsewhere in Alameda County, with an eye towards rapid expansion. While the particulars may be different in different locales, the Yuba City village is a proof-of-concept for California. It’s time to stop talking and start housing. This is not much more then the tents that JSS provided the homeless in El Dorado County at Hangtown Haven..

 

   ……..These, plus bathrooms would have to be added on site and are the most expensive services that would have to be provided and maintained.

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What needs to be overcome

 

Land. Who will allow it and get the “use permit”? Do County building laws allowing a person to sleep in such a structure, and Overseen by whom?

 

A group traveled all the way to Yolo County to see their tiny building, here is one that Art Edwards of Hangtown Haven designed and  had built in 2013 for you to compare. It cost $2500 at the time.
 

                            

 

This, just before the city of Placerville shut Hangtown Haven down.     
 

ED County, take action! PLEASE!!!!  

 

What do we do with the Addicted/Mentally challenged?