Eden, a Stepping Stone to Home information

SAFE GROUND – Eden
- a Stepping Stone to Home
A Brief History….
Tent City Sacramento was discovered by Oprah Winfrey and Getty Media and the world
focused on the rising tide of poverty and homelessness common to most urban areas. The
Mayor of Sacramento formed the Homeless Task Force and charged them with
convening a peaceful and orderly dismantling of Tent City with expanded efforts to
accommodate them with more shelter beds and permanent housing opportunities, and an
unprecedented effort to meet the particular needs of the homeless population.
Through that event a deeper relationship was formed with the emerging homeless
leadership and supporting organizations. Then due to the emergency situation faced by
approximately 1,400 Homeless individuals in the community of Sacramento, the Safe
Ground Campaign was formed. Subsequently Safe Ground was established temporarily
on 5 sites which were broken up and dismantled by the police department.
The Safe Ground Campaign, comprised of homeless leadership, supporting organizations
and hundreds of local businesses and individual supporters, has developed a plan, based
largely on the work of the Homeless Task force formed by the Mayor of Sacramento.
The Plan ….
We propose the creation of Safe Ground – Eden, a village community of 60 domiciles
complete with cooking and bathroom facilities, meeting places, gardens including green
houses and composting sites, storage rooms and security, social worker & job
development offices. We are considering sponsored individual Tuff Shed like structures
fashioned as cottages with windows, beds, etc. We are also exploring other small
domiciles that would be ideal for this village.
Our primary advocate agencies including Loaves & Fishes, Francis House, Sacramento
Homeless Organizing Committee, Volunteers of America and others, are poised to
provide the strategies, resources and guidance necessary to enable and empower the Safe
Ground leadership of homeless individuals to craft this project as an example of how
communities across the country can address the lack of all types of housing from
emergency shelters, transitional housing programs and permanent housing.
The Site ….
We have selected what we consider to be an ideal location between VOA’s Bannon Street
Shelter, Union Gospel Mission and the Sacramento Water Treatment plant. It is currently
owned by the SHRA as an agent of Sacramento County. We will need approval from
local government to lease the property at a reduced rate. This site has a minimum of
neighbors or businesses that might be a cause for concern and is within walking distance
to many social service providers familiar to the homeless population such as VOA, the
Union Gospel Mission, Loaves & Fishes, Francis House and others.
The Financials ….
Home Aid, the foundation arm of the building Association is willing to match $50,000 to
design and develop the site and the former director and current board member of the
Mercy Foundation has been asked to consider matching the fund.
This would cover the development of the site and then we would approach local
businesses, individuals, Churches and organizations to sponsor the purchase of the
domiciles.
Unless local government required additional features of the plan there would be a
minimal cost to the City and County of Sacramento.
* A full version of the Safe Ground - Eden plan with drawings and more detail is being
presented to the Mayor, the City Council, and the County Board of Supervisors as soon
as possible. This is a crisis situation demanding immediate action.
For More Information visit
www.safegroundsac.org or www.sacloaves.org/safeground
by phone at 916-446-0874
Tuff Sheds
By Kerrin West
Creating dignified housing for our homeless population needs to be more
than a tent.
A great design for a sleeping cottage, and one readily available, is a
traditional shed. Several manufacturers in our area mass produce them,
meaning we can provide a key piece to the homeless puzzle while
supporting our local economy.
"Safe ground" proposes to use such aesthetically pleasing cottages. They
will have two windows that are enhanced by a flower box and/or shutter
details. All doors and windows are detailed with wood trim. They are quaint
and yet built with traditional 2-by-4 framing methods, utilize 6-inch
galvanized steel floor trusses and are designed with a treated subfloor to
prevent mold and mildew. They use premium plywood siding and a 30-year
composition roofing.
Each cottage ranges from 8-by-10 feet to 12-by-14 feet, the size of most
bedrooms. These sleeping cottages easily accommodate beds and dressers
while providing individuals a private space. Each cottage will have all of the
basic needs including curtains and linens and solar powered light. These
cottages, with the support of the core facilities, will afford the homeless an
opportunity to get back on their feet and build toward a new beginning in
traditional housing.
The chance to establish a place to live and sleep eliminates a large burden
for many of our homeless. Providing core facilities including restrooms,
showers, kitchens and laundry complete the core needs for stabilization.
Once we can provide these amenities our residents can begin job training,
look for work and begin their transition plan for moving out of
homelessness. This is possible. We can create dignified housing in a safe
community for our homeless.
From the Sacramento Bee – Sunday, Oct 4, 2009