Ending the Homelessness Crisis
Having grown up in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, homelessness has always been an issue that I was aware of, but I never remember it being as visible as it is today. Recent counts put the number of the unhoused in Los Angeles County at about 60,000. That is a lot of people.
While on flights over the last few years, I've started noticing these clusters of small structures popping up throughout the city. They looked like tiny homes, in gated villages, and often brightly colored. I've never seen any of these tiny home villages while driving around, but from the air they are definitely noticeable.
Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village in Highland Park, California
So what are they?
They are Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission's Tiny Home Villages. With 6 new tiny home villages in total (so far), Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission and the City of Los Angeles have been able to provide over 1,000 beds and an equal number of meals to unhoused Angelenos. These interim homeless housing communities, composed of hundreds of 64 sq ft structures, allow tiny home residents to take advantage of meals, case management, mental health services, housing navigation, job training and placement, providing an immediate pathway for the homeless to break the cycle of living on the streets and find permanent, stable housing.
The largest tiny homes village is the Arroyo Seco Village in Highland Park, California, which houses 224 residents. Scroll down to see more Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village photos, as well as photos of other tiny home villages).
Alexandria Park Tiny Home Village in North Hollywood, California
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Whitsett West Tiny Home Village
Whitsett West Tiny Home Village
Located off the 170 freeway and consisting of 77 units and 150 beds, the Whitsett West Tiny Home Village is able to provide interim housing for nearly 600+ unhoused Angelenos annually, allowing them their first step off the streets and into permanent housing.
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Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village
Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village
Built and funded by the City of Los Angeles, the Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village is the largest of six tiny home villages in the country with over 117 units and 224 beds.