The first batch of tiny modular homes has arrived to house people experiencing homelessness in Thousand Oaks, California.
There were more than 2,300 individuals without housing last year in Ventura County. Now, the Thrive Grove Navigation Center will become a temporary home for some. The Ventura County Star reported exciting progress on the city's new emergency shelter with the first delivery of dozens of modular buildings.
The center was spearheaded by developer DignityMoves, a nonprofit that builds rapid, scalable solutions for people without housing. The first phase will house 50 people on a one-acre site and is expected to open in the spring. The center will also provide workforce training and case managers who can assist residents with health, drug, and alcohol treatment programs.
The Thousand Oaks City Council approved exceptions to laws that limited the time people can live at an emergency shelter up to six months. This extra time is needed for residents to find permanent housing.
The 18-foot-by-11-foot homes consist of either two rooms, each for a single occupant, or one larger room, designed for adult couples. While the individual homes lack kitchens and bathrooms, two modular units will have restrooms and showers with private stalls.
According to the Star, there will be additional office space and an area for residents to pick up meals prepared off-site. Laundry facilities and computer stations are planned.
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While the tiny homes were delivered with bland gray exteriors, city officials said that once installed, the units will be painted with royal blue and lime green accents.
Modular tiny homes have proved to be an effective part of the solution for homelessness. One community outside Austin, Texas, is now home to nearly 400 formerly unhoused people.
Tiny homes have also been used during extreme weather emergencies to house people displaced by Hurricane Helene.
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Beyond providing a fast, cost-effective solution during a housing crisis, tiny homes boast numerous benefits that make them an attractive alternative to conventional housing.
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The growing popularity of tiny homes is because of their low cost and sustainable features. Clever designs can maximize living space, and a smaller footprint requires less electricity and heat, lowering utility bills. Tiny houses can be paired with renewable energy sources like solar panels to function entirely off-grid.
The new village of tiny homes in Thousand Oaks will offer its residents a sustainable path as they transition out of homelessness.
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