An idea to house Florida’s homeless: A village of easy-to-build mini homes

Broward county’s next idea to help the homeless off the streets could likely be the construction of 10 easy-to-build homes that serve as shelters.

The tiny fiberglass shelters are intended to be transitional, temporary homes with just enough room to sleep and use the bathroom.

There are no kitchens, and they can accommodate a family of four.

“We have to look at every innovative strategy we can find to get people into stable housing,” said Broward Mayor Nan Rich, who has requested the county set aside $750,000 for this new type of housing. Of that, $500,000 would be an annual recurring expense for the operational fees; $250,000 would be to construct the homes.

It will be debated as Broward County commissioners prepare for next year’s fiscal budget. The idea for such shelters was encouraged by County Administrator Monica Cepero in an email Monday to the County Commission. It is just one of the many efforts detailed in an outline of how the county will respond to a new state law.

The new law bans Florida’s homeless from sleeping in public places, and it lets counties designate specific areas for homeless encampments while requiring them to be certified by the Department of Children and Families. The law goes into effect in October.

How are these shelters used?

The county has not yet chosen a vendor, or finalized the model, for the tiny homes, but one possibility being considered is from supplier Pallet, based in Everett, Washington, which was established to address homelessness.

Pallet’s website touts how quickly the shelters can be set up, stating that “no one should go unsheltered when a shelter village can be built in a day.”

The mini homes are reusable, made of durable materials resistant to mold and rot. They have energy-efficient construction, a lockable lever handle and peephole, LED lighting and air conditioning. Homes would have fire extinguishers, smoke/CO2 detectors, electrical outlets and heating and cooling units. On site, there would be a bathroom and shower common areas, as well as a common meal area.

Pallet has provided homes to build many villages in many states. In February, the Brown Daily Herald in Rhode Island reported that 45 shelters would be built there this year to act as a temporary solution to the state’s increasing homeless crisis.

It’s one of 120 sites across the United States and Canada, said Pallet CEO Amy King. Her company operates in 24 states and her team has spoken to Broward about offering the homes here.

It’s safer, King said, because families can lock their doors. That makes it “far superior than congregate shelter,” she said. And because “people have their own space” they might be more willing to give it a try, she said.

Cepero wrote that such shelters can be used by the county to “combine temporary transitional housing solutions with wrap-around case management services to help move people from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency.” Those case-management services could include anything from job placement help to counseling, Rich said.

The location for the community of these shelters hasn’t been decided yet.

“We do not have a particular city in mind but are working through discussion and brainstorming through our (consultants) with several municipalities to find the right fit,” said Rebecca McGuire, the county’s Housing Strategy and Innovation Officer.

Rich added that the “community is not going to criminalize homelessness, and we are looking for solutions that place people into stable housing. “We believe in a humane approach to outreach and services: bring people into a system and provide them with services and ultimately housing.”

Considering other efforts

Cepero told commissioners the county also is exploring additional options that can include:

— An awareness campaign to educate the public about the new law.

— A new portal for reporting apparent unlawful sleeping or camping on public property.

— Additional outreach efforts.

The county recently expanded hours for their Airport Community Team to find and offer help to the homeless sleeping at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Emergency shelter expansion

In addition, Cepero wrote that the county is pursuing emergency shelter for families and could consider purchasing and rehabilitating old motels and shopping centers “to provide additional sheltering options.”

“Because the county is keenly aware of the need for affordable housing, we will explore options such as a partnership with The Salvation Army, which is considering the purchase of a building to provide new affordable units,” she wrote.

There’s also the issue of “emergency transitional measures” for people who need to immediately move out of their homes.

Broward County will look for ideas from cities, which can include Miramar’s use of its fire stations as a safe haven for victims of domestic violence.

A spokeswoman for Miramar Fire-Rescue said Monday the program began April 25 and is also open to those getting out of instances of sexual abuse or elder abuse. Anyone seeking help can go to any of its five fire stations, said Tara Smith, agency spokeswoman.

“This is a model to explore as a potential emergency transitional measure while the individual and family work through the judicial system,” Cepero wrote. “The county is particularly aware that meeting the needs of families in crisis is a critical piece of the housing crisis response, and therefore this will be a top priority in the assessment of how to best utilize the funds.”

The county could set aside $447,000 in the next budget for emergency shelter for families.

‘No’ to using a jail

The memo also officially nixes an idea to house the homeless at the sheriff’s stockade, saying it would cost millions of dollars to retrofit.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis had recently said maybe it’s time to revisit the idea of using the county’s old stockade on Powerline Road to house the homeless. But according to Cepero’s memo, that idea won’t work because it needs to be available “in the event of a mass arrest event that requires sufficient jail space.”

And, “because it is a jail, it is equipped with razor wire and related infrastructure that necessarily need to be in place for use as its intended purpose,” Cepero’s memo reads. “People who are unhoused have a right to sheltering and service provision that is provided in a dignified manner in facilities designed for social services and not placed into a jail facility.

“Importantly, unhoused people have the right to self-determination and the ability to make their own decisions about their willingness to engage in services.”

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