Sonoma County supervisors okay village of tiny homes for the homeless

Sonoma County supervisors on Tuesday approved converting a vacant lot at the county administration complex into a village of tiny homes for homeless people.

Between now and Feb. 26, the county is seeking requests for development proposals for up to 12 units at the site, near the intersection of Mendocino Avenue and Chanate Road in Santa Rosa.

The project could support up to 24 people, county officials said.

The site is required to be equipped with showers, cooking and sanitation facilities. The structures can be anything from shipping containers to recreational vehicles, yurts, or custom-built mini-houses. The development is set to be erected at Paulin and Fiscal drives, near other county services.

Officials have not determined the cost of the project, but providing housing for the 2,000 homeless people who are without shelter of any kind in Sonoma County would cost an estimated $110 million, according to county estimates.

The county will allow developers to use the county plot for tiny homes free of charge for two years.

If successful, it could be replicated in other areas, supervisors said.