San Jose opens first tiny home community for formerly homeless residents

A tiny house community for the homeless opened recently in San Jose, California and it looks great.
The project has been in the making for three years and now it is finally up and running. The houses are there to provide temporary shelter for those who lost their homes due to different circumstances and they can occupy these homes for 60 days.
After this period they will be provided with permanent housing. The tiny house community is fully equipped with everything needed for comfort and safety and has even bike racks and small patios with flowers.
There is also 24-hour security provided and resident services. The community was set up by a group of hard-working volunteers and residents have already started moving into the units. The housing community has space for a total of 40 residents, and so far 9 houses have found temporary owners.

According to Mayor Sam Liccardo, this is an example of best practice that hopefully will be replicated in other cities too and help as many people in need as possible. The cabins are also a low-cost option for cities willing to invest in such solutions, as building one house costs around $6,500.

The entire investment into the project was more than $2 million but solves a very urgent issues in the best possible way by giving temporary housing to people who would otherwise be living on the streets.

source: mercurynews.com

27 Responses to “San Jose opens first tiny home community for formerly homeless residents”

  1. Elaine Brillhart says:

    Hi,

    I visited San Jose in 2015 and in the park in front of the court house was a nice gentelman that would hold up a wooden stick cross before he would talk to me…I hope he finds a home there in your home. I have photos of him if you want. Thank you for your invention.

  2. rose says:

    Where is the kitchenette and bathroom facilities? To be a home, one needs areas for sanitation and a means of nutrition preparation. Is there a rental “cost” – such as tenants providing maintenance and cleaning if given the supplies?

    • Linda Santos says:

      State had some like that built after the lava flow left so many homeless. They had a communal kitchen..and a series of bathrms/showers located outside homes..people are still living in them without any issues.

    • andrew says:

      a rose doesn’t always have to show its thorns

  3. Marguerite Sanchez says:

    I love the idea! I live in NYC and that would be a great solution for the homeless, especially homeless women and Possibly women with children!❤️❤️❤️❤️Awesome!

  4. Jane says:

    Im from Philippines and i just saw this tiny house for community and homeless i just want to say im very admiring and impressed for the style and ofcourse for this project for the people ❤. I am a painter and carpentry and someday one of my dream i want to build also my own house style 😔🙂

  5. Renee James Monton says:

    Can you also Invest here in the philippines to many families canot afford to buy a big houses

  6. Renee James Monton says:

    Can you also Invest here in the philippines to many families canot afford to buy a big houses

  7. Gina says:

    This is great, but a woman mentioned that Habitat for humanity Built these. I want to know where this is , because the city seems to think it’s ok to squeeze all of the homeless into the downtown area where many TAXPAYERS AND HOMEOWNERS are inundated with homeless and garbage as it is! When are the nimbys going to take some of the burden?!

    I’m all for housing the homeless, but Liccardo lives downtown and he sees the filth around us! People are crapping on the streets, using drugs, drug dealing, dumping, and behaving erratically! WE KNOW THE MAYOR SEES THIS! DO SOMETHING NOW!

  8. Dorothy says:

    If they would do this in every state then it would be wonderful and keep the homeless sheltered from the weather sun rain snow what ever it be I was homeless in December sleeping in a broken down car ppl stole my rent my cards my phone anything I had in the car but it got towed any ways but I could not get into shelter because had no ID so my prayers for the homeless an prayers for the ones that built these homes thank u God bless you they need more in other states

  9. Jeane says:

    I always have mixed emotions about this. First, who maintains the facilities? Who manages it to reduce the amount of drug/alcohol use? What are the requirements to live here? How long are they allowed to live there? In other words, how do the residents return the “favor” of living in a safe and dry house? The other side of me says… these people now have a shelter that is being paid for. What about the people who live in less than ideal conditions and would love to live in the same type of place? People who work 2 jobs and live in area that are safe and unhealthy?

  10. Lorayn says:

    Im curious to see them. My brother lost hid father at the beginning of this year. He was the 1st homeless to die of the year in San jose.

  11. Britney says:

    I think this is a great idea. I hope they start doing this out towards the east coast. Many homeless people are dying in the fridged cold during the fall/winter season. I just want everyone to be safe and acknowledged. We are all HUMAN!

  12. Cassaundra. Gilchrist says:

    Are they on city utilities or compost/incinerator toilets

  13. Lynette says:

    OMG this is so ground breaking you have no idea, we are human beings and all we want is a space like this space that we can call are OWN for when we have had a long day and space for when we have lost a loved one just are OWN space and warmth for the nights I WILL PUT THIS PROJECT IN MY THOUGHTS AND MY HEART !

  14. Dave says:

    I hope there’s a boatload more of these than 9. Because with a $2m investment, that’s over $222K each.

  15. Charity Crosby says:

    God-bless them from doing this it’s much better than pushing the homeless around and having no compassion on them which most people do Jesus taught us to love our neighbour as ourselves we would want to be in their shoes selected the best began to help them

  16. Andrea Hamm says:

    We need this in Des Moines Iowa for the homeless and their pets

  17. Linda says:

    Is there a community bathroom or shower? Doesn’t seem like these houses have bathrooms. I think this is a great idea. But they do need a bathroom.

  18. Tamara L says:

    This great that the homeless has a bed in a comfortable environment, but is there bathroom (toilet, sink and shower) facilities and food prep area or soup kitchen available close by?

  19. jFed says:

    It’s cheaper and more humane to house the homeless than creating laws that either arrest them or otherwise keep them homeless. Some in society are so worried about people getting “something for nothing”. Let me tell you having been homeless at one point that there is a high cost to such low living and I mean the homeless person themself. Navigating the system is difficult and with no permanent address to deliver services most homeless eventually just give up. The system needs to be streamlined to avoid these people slipping through the cracks.

  20. Davanna says:

    It looks like a jail cell

  21. Maggy Johnston says:

    I work for a homeless community, I need more information about this project, I want to copy the idea in Salem Oregon

  22. Deborah Stratton says:

    Also the generator can put air or heat in each one just run vents if they want to be cool or warm solar panel can come in hand for it if the state has to take care of it that’s a well thought ideal it can be done only one or two can be there.

  23. Lynnette Calvin says:

    I would like to spear head a program like this in Fairfield. Is there an open house to see the units.

    Lynnette Calvin
    Fairfield. CA
    Its all God!!!

  24. Tamara says:

    They’re called cabins. In cabin situations, there are shared cooking locations and group restroom facilities. Just like camps everywhere.

  25. Roya Thompson says:

    Interested in more info

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