BALDWIN PARK (CNS) - A tiny home village in Baldwin Park that will house homeless people will be the first shelter of its kind in the San Gabriel Valley, city officials said today.
The 25-home village is scheduled to open in November.
Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel J. Estrada said in a statement, “Tiny home shelters will provide Baldwin Park's homeless population that has been growing year after year with the safety and privacy of a tiny home that is lacking in more traditional congregate shelters, while helping them transition to permanent housing.''
The tiny homes will be prefabricated cabins equipped with locking doors and air conditioning, and housed on a city-owned lot located at 14173 Garvey Ave. The intention of the development is to provide temporary housing for 90 days prior to residents securing permanent housing, serving about 100 people a year. In the city's most recent survey, the city identified more than 500 people experiencing homelessness.
On-site services include case management, mental and physical health care services, three meals per day, restrooms, laundry, showers and a dog run. Security will be staffed 24/7.
“Baldwin Park is proud to spearhead this unique effort to combat homelessness in the San Gabriel Valley. Thanks to this innovative housing model, we can provide safety, wrap-around resources and privacy to meet the needs of the residents, while also avoiding the separation of individuals from their pets, and couples from each other, all of which are important factors in maintaining the emotional stability of companionship for people experiencing homelessness,'' Estrada said.
Baldwin Park's City Council approved the tiny home development as a one-year program last month, and finalized the design of the village at a study session Wednesday.
“We could not have a better partner than the city of Baldwin Park in debuting the first tiny home shelter in the San Gabriel Valley. Together with city staff, we will reach out to the community at large to establish opportunities for volunteers to support shelter residents by creating welcome kits and through other activities,'' said Claremont Mayor Pro Tem Jed Leano, chair of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust.
The Trust and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments is providing approximately $450,000 of grant funding for the homes and communal on-site facilities, and an additional $750,000 for the first year of operation, with options to fund future years.
“Residents will be connected to supportive services to meet their needs, and this will be the first step toward ending their experience with homelessness,'' said Monrovia Councilmember Becky Shevlin, president of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, which sponsored the legislation for the housing village.
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