Homelessness in Oakland is at a crisis state. Between 2015 and 2017, the number of homeless residents in Oakland increased 26 percent. The city is not alone: by some estimates, half of all homeless people in the U.S. live in California.

In late 2017, the City of Oakland piloted a novel approach initiated by Mayor Libby Schaaf to help people living in street encampments gain security and support: the city found a site location at 6th and Castro streets, funded the operational costs of a site manager, security and supportive social services, then asked the business community to buy and outfit 20 cabins to shelter up to 40 people at a time.

“Since I moved in things are going much better for me and I’m getting my personal things together,” said Sean Moss, six weeks after leaving his tent on the street to become one of the first residents of the Northgate Cabin Community.

“They help with housing. I’m eating more consistently and on a regular basis. At least I’ve got a piece of a job now, and hopefully, I’ll go full time,” he added. “And hopefully as soon as that happens I’ll get a place, so I have income to be able to get my own place.”

Recent data show that 70 percent of all resident who moved out of a cabin community moved into temporary or permanent housing.

“What is unique about this model is that we’re offering people privacy and security,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “They know their possessions are securely stored and they have a gathering place. They have onsite navigators to help them toward full employment as well as permanent housing.”

The City hopes to raise enough to fund additional cabin communities to help more people move off the street into a more secure, supported environment.

No one expects Cabin Communities to be a long-term solution: they are a temporary, quick, and community-based response to a humanitarian crisis. Lean more about Oakland’s response to the homeless crisis here.