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https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/09/16/east-bay-tiny-homes-mean-big-changes-for-homeless-residents/>
"SAN LEANDRO — After months of sleeping in her Jeep, unable to shower
regularly, Donna Ohnstad was ready to give up.
Her boyfriend had died, she’d lost the RV she’d been living in, and her
unemployment benefits had ended. Then her Jeep broke down at the San Leandro
Marina — so that’s where she stayed. She lived in constant fear that her
beloved cat, Booger, would perish when the car got too hot during the day.
About two weeks ago, life changed for Ohnstad. She became the first resident of
a new tiny home village off Foothill Boulevard in unincorporated San Leandro.
“It’s made me feel normal,” an emotional Ohnstad said Wednesday, as county
officials celebrated the site’s grand opening. “Made me feel like life’s worth
living.”
The 34 tiny homes, painted bright blue, yellow and red, sit on a hilltop
parking lot in the county’s Fairmont campus, surrounded by eucalyptus trees.
Officials anticipate the community will shelter 100 people per year who are
waiting to find permanent housing, with each resident staying an average of
three months. Residents will have access to services including medical and
mental health care, addiction counseling, job training, meals and security.
Winding, concrete paths connect the tiny homes — each of which has a bed, a
table, a small stove, a refrigerator and a bathroom with a shower. Residents
share a laundry room."
Via Lisa Stranger.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
