The Los Angeles Post

Delivery of Small Homes Takes Leap Forward in Sacramento, San Jose

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SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an update on the state’s efforts to provide small homes to select communities across California for individuals experiencing homelessness. Sacramento and San Jose are the first two communities out of four announced last year, to make significant progress working with the state on the delivery of small homes.
“Sacramento and San Jose have stepped up to do the heavy lifting needed for the delivery of small homes. These communities are utilizing the resources and funding provided by the state to ensure that more housing is available for individuals experiencing homelessness.” 
Governor Gavin Newsom
Sacramento and San Jose are the first two communities to deliver on plans for small homes. The state and Sacramento have started construction at their Stockton Boulevard Safe Stay Community, which is designed for 175 small homes and is anticipated to be completed by late summer. Sacramento has also designated an additional location for their remaining allotment of 175 small homes.
“We’re proud to be leading the way with Governor Newsom and the state in deploying these innovative sleeping cabins,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “This project shows how state and local governments can support each other in addressing our crisis of unsheltered homelessness. Our 175-bed campus will be much more than an emergency shelter. It will provide all the services and support needed to get more people healthy and housed.”
San Jose has also advanced their project and has requested $12.7 million in funding from the state for the delivery of 200 small homes. These units will be located at a six-acre vacant site known as the VTA Cerone work yard, located in North San Jose.

“San Jose, like the rest of California, is tackling the humanitarian, fiscal and environmental crisis of homelessness,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “This is a crisis that will take focus and action from every level of government to solve – and I’m grateful to the Governor for leaning in to help cities address the immense human suffering on our streets faster and more cost-effectively. Together, we can end the era of encampments by building safe, dignified shelter and prioritizing in-patient mental health care and addiction treatment.”
After extended and ongoing local efforts to identify sites, the state continues to work with the two remaining jurisdictions from the original pilot project – the City of Los Angeles and San Diego County – to ensure they can take advantage of the state’s offer of small homes. The San Diego county Board of Supervisors recently approved their small homes proposal, clearing the way for the project to move forward. Los Angeles is also making progress as they are in the final stages of scoping and planning their efforts, which will still need approval from their city council.

Since originally announcing this small homes effort, the state has made significant progress to deliver these units. Last summer, California successfully passed legislation giving the state more flexibility to streamline this work. The state also established a procurement process, which makes it easier for locals to utilize the state’s negotiated agreement to purchase small homes. Additionally, the Department of General Services finalized contracts with several vendors to provide a range of small home models for municipalities to utilize.