The Next Generation of Housing Solutions

In December, Sacramento State held a Transitional Housing Symposium where graduating capstone students worked on solutions to address the homeless situation facing Sacramento and other large cities.  The day was dedicated to exploring innovative ways of designing safe and supportive transitional spaces for the unhoused in Sacramento County.

As part of the symposium, under the direction of Professor Mark Roddy, students were tasked with converting an abandoned big box store into a transitional housing shelter.  I was asked to attend and provide critique of the students’ work.  The students presented their solutions to myself and fellow architects.  I was delighted to review the interesting design concepts and become educated about some of the relevant research the students did.  Some students chose to remove portions of the building’s roof to create a secure, yet open area.   A popular solution entailed the creation of sleeping modules to be assembled and stacked within the confines of the existing building.  Themes explored included:  natural light, natural ventilation, and how to provide both privacy and security.  The students recognized that simple shelter is not all that is needed, but services are a key component of helping individuals integrate and get back on their feet.

I left encouraged knowing the next generation of designers are poised to make a difference.  The students not only thought of the practical logistics of providing a roof and safe place for someone, but also explored how to help people regain a sense of control and stability.

The Trebek Center, by Hope the Mission, in Los Angeles is an example of a successful conversion of a roller-skating rink to a homeless shelter with 107 beds.  Although smaller than most big box stores, the solutions employed in that facility would translate to the larger footprint of a big box store.  Many of the ideas that were discussed and displayed at the Housing Symposium reflected those in practice at the Trebek Center.  Solutions to chipping away at the enormous task of housing everyone are out there.  Both in practice and in academia.