Bay Area leaders push new bill to fast-track tiny homes and other shelters statewide.
An interior view of Evans Lane, an interim housing site, on Monday, March 4, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. California lacks anywhere near enough homeless shelters for everyone living on the street. To bring more people indoors and out of harm’s way, Bay Area lawmakers are pushing a new bill to fast-track building tiny homes and other kinds of temporary shelter statewide.
Instead of focusing on adding permanent affordable housing that offers a direct route out of homelessness, these officials and service providers argue scaling up shelter options is a far quicker and more cost-effective way to help unhoused people get the care they desperately need. Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego, said the public is demanding new strategies to get people off the street. But he said whether the bill lives or dies hinges on how local neighborhoods, as well as developers and homeless service providers who build and operate shelters or housing, respond to the proposal.
The shelters can include tiny homes, cabin shelters or rooms in renovated former motels. The goal is to move residents into long-term housing in a few months, and homeless people can often apply to stay longer on a case-by-case basis. People Assisting the Homeless Director of Programs Aiko Yep, left, gives a tour to Senator Josh Becker, center left, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, center right, and DignityMoves CEO Elizabeth Funk, right, at Evans Lane, an interim housing site, on Monday, March 4, 2024, in San Jose, Calif.
At Monday’s news conference, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who’s expected to sail to reelection on Tuesday, touted the city’s effort to boost shelter space as a model for the new bill. He said it’s the only viable strategy since affordable housing can take years and cost as much as $1 million for a single unit. The San Jose shipping container shelter was built in less than 12 months and cost about $66,000 a door, he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Spectrum Bay News 9 | Tampa Bay Area News, Weather & TrafficSpectrum News Bay News 9 is your source for local and breaking news in the greater Tampa Bay area.
Read more »
Robert Downey Jr. Reveals the Surprising Roles He Almost Got—And Almost LostThe ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscar nominee was passed over for a DC villain, and says Tom Cruise nearly starred in both ‘Chaplin’ and ‘Iron Man.’
Read more »
California primary election 2024: Key statewide, Bay Area races to watch out forPresidential primary, Senate race, welfare drug screening in San Francisco and more. Here are some key local and statewide races to keep an eye on March 5.
Read more »
Colorado traffic: I-70 eastbound, several mountain highways close as winter storm hitsA winter storm Tuesday morning has brought heavy snow to the mountains and snow squalls to the Denver metro area, leading to dangerous road conditions and several mountain highways to close.
Read more »
Christie Brinkley, 70, Shows Off Toned Abs in Mirror Selfie to Celebrate Her BodySee which one fo your favorite celebs is twinning with their kids.
Read more »
Akron secures 83-70 win over Kent StateLed by Enrique Freeman's 24 points, the Akron Zips defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes 83-70
Read more »