On July 16, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a project to place 70 transitional cabins for homeless individuals in the eastern county by a vote of 4-0. The location for the cabin community has also been finalized.
These cabins, known as “sleeping cabins” or “tiny homes,” are being promoted by the California government as one of the measures to address the homelessness issue.
Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe stated in a press release that the sleeping cabins not only provide a place to sleep but also help individuals regain stability and dignity, assisting them in transitioning to permanent housing.
According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, from 2018 to 2023, California allocated a total of $24 billion to support over 30 projects aimed at addressing homelessness. However, the number of homeless individuals in California continues to rise. In 2023, there were 180,000 homeless individuals in California, a 6% increase from the previous year and a 53% increase from 2013. A report by the California State Auditor in April of this year revealed that most homeless programs in California have not been effectively tracked for their outcomes.
As per Supervisor Montgomery Steppe’s proposal, the county government plans to use $8.5 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and $10 million in state grants for this project.
In March of this year, the state government allocated funds to four counties in California, including San Diego County, to place 1,200 homeless cabins in the state. San Diego received $10 million to house 150 cabins.
However, as reported by Politico, on July 15, Governor Newsom expressed in a letter to the Board of Supervisors that due to the slow progress in San Diego County in selecting a site for the homeless cabins, the funding would be withdrawn.
The Board of Supervisors initially proposed to place the cabins on Jamacha Road in Spring Valley of the unincorporated East County, which faced opposition from the community. The selected site announced on July 16 is Troy Street in Lemon Grove, East County.
Maura Moed, the office assistant of Supervisor Montgomery Steppe, informed Dajiyuan that the Board of Supervisors will continue to pursue state funding. Even if the funding is not retrieved, they will proceed with the Troy Street cabin project using the county’s own funds.
Nora Vargas, Chair of the Board of Supervisors, and Meghan Breen, her office’s press secretary, told Dajiyuan that after referencing ten cabin communities in Los Angeles and one in Chula Vista’s South County in San Diego, the estimated construction cost for the Troy Street cabin community is $11 million. This includes the cost of purchasing 70 cabins and developing the community. Dajiyuan estimated that on average, the cost per cabin placement is around $160,000.
According to data from cabin manufacturer Pallet, the standard area for a single occupancy cabin is 70 square feet.
Breen explained that the operating cost for the cabin community is estimated to be $3 million annually. The construction plan for the cabin community is set to begin in mid-2025 and completed by mid-2026.
In a press release by Supervisor Montgomery Steppe, it was mentioned that in addition to the 70 cabins, the cabin community will include offices, sanitation facilities, bathrooms, and storage spaces, providing comprehensive services to the homeless residents, such as case management, assistance in finding more stable housing options, food provision, transportation, behavioral health, and other social services. The cabin community will also have 24/7 on-site security.
Moed and Breen informed Dajiyuan that the current plan only accepts single homeless individuals who have no criminal records like arson or sexual offenses, do not consume alcohol or drugs at the residence. The eligibility for the cabins requires recommendations from the San Diego County Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities and the Homeless Assistance Resource Team of the County Sheriff’s Department, and approval based on specific criteria.