T.O.’s emergency housing provides for community
Thousand Oaks’ 9.5 million dollar emergency homeless shelter began importing modular homes on Jan. 17. These 18-foot-by-11-foot buildings from Lit Homes, a Portland manufacturer, will take up one acre of the 6.5-acre site at 1205 Lawrence Drive in Newbury Park, CA.
The shelter currently consists of 30 of the 50 total beds for temporary housing and is expected to be completed during the spring. Thousand Oaks hosted its ceremony for the site in April, following the project’s approval from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. While the shelter was originally planned to be completed in November, waiting for manufacturers to get materials and for agencies’ approvals ultimately delayed the first opening to the spring.
Most of the modular buildings have two rooms, each designed to hold one resident, while the rest of the homes have one large room designed for adult couples. Currently, the buildings have gray exteriors, however the city plans to repaint them with blue and green features after the structures are anchored.
In addition to providing a living space for the homeless, the site will have two buildings with showers, restrooms, office space and an area where residents can pick up meals that will be prepared at an alternate location. While at the center, residents will also be provided training for the workforce, mental health services, case managers and connections with health checkups, as well as drug and alcohol treatment programs. There are also plans to incorporate laundry facilities and computer stations for the inhabitants.
Despite state law and city regulations that state the maximum time people can live at the shelter is six months, the Thousand Oaks City Council approved an exception in April allowing people to extend their stay for longer periods at the navigation center.
The project is a team effort, with several California non-profits including Many Mansions, DignityMoves and Hope of the Valley working on its production. Many Mansions currently runs 22 affordable housing communities in Southern California and was chosen to lease the properties. Constructing the center is DignityMoves, operator of seven communities with a location in Thousand Oaks. Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission is managing the site and also currently the owner of America’s largest village of tiny homes in Los Angeles County.
The project is a part of the non-profits’ broader goal to provide relief and safe residency for the homeless population in Thousand Oaks, as well as guiding those in need of permanent housing.
