Construction of a new housing development of micro-shelters for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s most vulnerable homeless residents is underway.
After years of struggling to bring it to fruition, the Homing Project will be a gated housing development will have up to 15 micro-shelters, a communal kitchen, bathrooms and laundry.
The 64-square-foot homes will have fold-up beds, locking doors, heating, air conditioning and storage.
The city recently granted permits for construction of the project, known as La Estrella Village.
Construction is underway for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s first mini-shelter project, near East Glenn Street and North Stone Avenue.
“We were all sort of in shock that it finally happened,†said Dr. J. Kristin Olson-Garewal who, along with her son Raj Garewal, formed based on a similar shelter they visited in California.
“My son would joke that he was starting to wonder how to break it to me gently that it would always be a nice dream,†she said.
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The first, and smallest, of three sites where these micro-shelter communities are planned is on donated land near East Glenn Street and North Stone Avenue.
Dr. J. Kristin Olson-Garewal, of The Homing Project, has taken micro-shelter models to several ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ events over the years to raise awareness of the effort.
Working with the land owners and developers, Olson-Garewal said the infrastructure that is going in, such as electrical lines, water and sidewalks, will give an affordable housing complex a head-start in a few years when The Homing Project is ready to move the portable micro-shelters to a bigger site.
A micro-shelter can be assembled and disassembled in a matter of hours for relocation.
A micro-shelter can be assembled and disassembled in a matter of hours for relocation.
The hope is when the time comes, the next site will have about 100 shelters, said Olson-Garewal, a retired physician.
La Estrella Village will be drug and alcohol-free, will have 24-hour security and on-site social workers.
Medical, dental, mental health, substance abuse counseling and employment training will also be provided.
The village will be for people living on the streets or in temporary shelters who have behavioral health issues or are domestic violence victims and it will be limited to those 25 years or younger, such as those aging out of the foster care system, and people 50 years and older, to help “the most vulnerable.â€
La Estrella Village, near East Glenn Street and North Stone Avenue, will have 10-15 micro-shelters in a gated community with on-site social services.
The village will be pet friendly, because the prospect of abandoning a companion pet discourages some people from seeking shelter.
The majority of the $1.7 million for the project has been raised by private donors, Olson-Garewal said. And there is no administrative cost because all services will be provided by volunteers.
A micro-shelter village, like this one in Alexandria, Virginia, is being built in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. The project will feature up to 15 shelters, a communal kitchen, bathrooms and laundry.
“The homeless population of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ deserves this opportunity,†she said. “We plan be here until there is no more homelessness in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.â€
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