A Thorough Application Process: Key to Success in Tiny Home Villages BY SHANTI VELASCO

In a city with over 10,000 individuals currently experiencing homelessness, how does the team behind the San Diego’s Tiny Homes Villages decide who qualify to become a resident?

The selection process in Tiny Home Villages across the United States is unique to every site depending on what services it has can offer, but they all look to prioritize giving assistance to people who are homeless and actively wish to transition to permanent housing.

“There’s so many levels to it... some people just are not going to want to make that change on their own.” -Karla Burner, Spring Valley Resident

The Amikas site at El Cajon in San Diego, for example, is designed to prioritize unhoused women or families with children, who demonstrate willingness to engage with support services provided by the program.

The initial screening requires applicants to submit their information, which includes proof of need and any previous interactions with social services. This ensures they meet the basic eligibility requirements. Next, they are interviewed by Amika’s staff members to discuss every person’s individual needs, goals, and willingness to follow the community’s guidelines. An assessment is also conducted to identify any additional support that residents may need, including mental health counseling services, childcare, and job training. This process ensures every resident is a match for the program, and then they are matched with an available unit. Priority is given to those facing immediate life-threatening dangers, such as domestic violence, or those facing chronic homelessness.

Since it began accepting residents, this Tiny Village has gone 18 months with zero reported incidents that require help from law enforcement due to ill behavior from its residents or any sort of emergency. This showcases the application model’s effectiveness to ensure every applicant they accept is a proper fit for the village. At the end of the day, a thorough application process of any new resident ensures the safety of those already established, which is a priority for the village.

Angelica Davis, who holds the position as the Homeless Solutions Manager, describes the village as an opportunity for people experiencing homelessness to re-gain their dignity, have some privacy, and transition to permanent housing.

When asked about the application process, she said individuals wishing to become a resident at the Otay Village had to be working directly with their Homeless Outreach Team, who are then responsible of submitting their referrals.

“I’m so proud of our Outreach team... The HOT Team was forced by a police officer and a park ranger because what they wanted to do is, not just take people’s stuff and throw it away, they wanted to help. And that’s how it started.” -Angelica Davis, Homelessness Solutions Manager

During outreach events, the team visits local spaces in which homeless individuals tend to go to for safety such as parks with the mission to recruit people who are in desperate need of assistance. In some cases, individuals that qualify to be residents of the tiny homes village, can be screened, accepted, and moved into an available unit that same day.

Even though the HOT team is mostly made up of police officers, they do not have the mission to evacuate homeless individuals out of public spaces or take their belongings. Instead, they have the goal to reach out to people whom they see are struggling.

In the case of Portland’s Tiny Homes Solution, which is supplied and founded by Portland City Shelter Services, selects its residents upon referral only. These are made by first responders, including social service providers, Park Rangers, or members of the Portland Street Response. The city has emphasized a continuum of care, which includes case by case assistance to ensure the highest success rate of those who then go on to transition to permanent housing.

Even though every Village has different qualifications for its residents, they all seek to take in individuals who are willing to receive support and get back on their feet. Whether it be through active recruitment, submitting an online application, or through referrals, Villages are open to accepting residents who believe they will benefit the most from the services they offer. This way, the homelessness epidemic across the country can begin to be solved –one tiny home at a time.

"You need people who are going to take advantage of the opportunity... otherwise they’ll trash it." -Unhoused individual, Josh