BALDWIN PARK, Calif.—Officials celebrated the grand opening a 16-unit family bridge housing project in Los Angeles County that will cater to the needs of families with children experiencing homelessness.
Serenity Homes opened Sept. 24 and is the second tiny home village in Baldwin Park, following the opening of the 25-unit Esperanza Villa in November.
It’s the first interim housing site in the San Gabriel Valley specifically for families, according to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG).
It’s located on city-owned property acquired earlier this year, and consists of sixteen 144-square-foot family modules, fully furnished with donated IKEA furniture and accessories. Each family module includes a full-size bed, twin bunk bed, dresser, lamp, mirror, portable table, shelves and storage, shoe rack, and other amenities.
“It is truly remarkable to be opening a second tiny home village within a year,'‘ Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel Estrada said. ”Serenity Homes will serve as a model for how cities can expand homeless services and better address the unique needs of unhoused families. I would like to commend city staff and our project partners, the SGVRHT (San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust) and SGVCOG, for their tremendous efforts and dedication to bringing this project to reality.’’
The project is intended to provide temporary housing for about 90 days to six months before families are placed into permanent accommodations.
Residents will be offered individual on-site services such as case management and health and mental health services, three meals a day, restroom, laundry, shower trailers, and an on-site computer room to facilitate homework and job training.
The site operator, City Net, will provide staffing and security 24 hours a day.
“The opening of Serenity Homes represents an opportunity for new beginnings for unhoused families and is a common sense pathway to achieving permanent housing solutions in the San Gabriel Valley,'‘ said Monrovia Mayor Becky Shevlin, president of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. ”The SGVCOG is incredibly proud to be involved in these critical homeless housing projects in the region that are making a tremendous difference at the local level.’’
