Petaluma’s interim housing community to begin setup after delays

Nearly four months after the Petaluma City Council approved the creation of a tiny home shelter for the city’s homeless population, the city has yet to move residents in, with officials citing shipping delays and coronavirus complications as key contributors to the prolonged construction process.

The 25-home community deemed People’s Village was originally promised by December or January, but units were delayed after multiple contractors, consultants and city staff members faced what city officials have called “COVID-related issues.”

The first four units were delivered to the Mary Isaak Center parking lot Friday, Assistant City Manager Brian Cochran said.

“We are moving forward as quickly as we can and committed to getting it done,” Cochran said in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “It’s going to be super exciting for the community, once we can get it up and running.”

Cochran said plans call for about one to four units per week to be delivered and set up, adding that city officials are not waiting for all of the units to be set up before beginning the move-in process.

“It’ll be kind of a rolling opening, if you will,” Cochran said. “As they’re built and get delivered, they get set up and then we can add additional people.”

The first residents are expected to move into units Feb 7.

The Petaluma City Council approved the tiny home village in September, contracting with Petaluma’s largest homelessness services provider, the Committee on the Shelterless, to run the village adjacent to the agency’s 80-bed Mary Isaak Center homeless shelter. City officials are working to finalize the contract with COTS, Cochran said.

City Council members in July agreed to spend $1.7 million in federal coronavirus relief money on housing solutions. And in November city officials committed another $1 million that would go toward utilities in the 72-square-foot homes, as well as a wide range of on-site services including those for mental health, overnight security and case managers.

Rohnert Park-based Quickhaven, the contractor Petaluma tapped to build the units, faced major delays tied to the ongoing shipping crisis, among other pandemic-related setbacks

The project is the latest effort in the city’s fight against the homelessness crisis officially declared in September. Previously, council members approved a $300,000 increase in funding for COTS and launched a $1 million mobile crisis intervention unit.

In June city officials also approved a $350,000 contract renewal to keep the Downtown Streets Team, which provides taps homeless residents to help with volunteer work while providing access to job opportunities and other services.

In Petaluma, the number of homeless residents reached a three-year high of 296, according to the 2020 Sonoma County Homeless Census.

COTS CEO Chuck Fernandez declined to comment on the People’s Village, and shelter services manager Robin Phoenix did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Cochran said city leaders have been coordinating with Sonoma County officials and other service providers to make sure any eligible occupants are able to apply, but he didn’t know how many applications had been received so far.

“There has been a major shift in the way the County of Sonoma manages the list of clients needing or interested in shelter services,” Cochran said. “The COTS team is in the process of reviewing the new requirements and outlining a wait list and intake process that best serves the community.”

Cochran added that officials plan for about 75% of People’s Village residents to be those local to Petaluma.

Those who move into the People’s Village will have a limit of 180 days for their residency. Staff will work with residents during that time to find permanent housing. According to the COTS website, residents who have not achieved housing within 180 days will need to find other arrangements, and will then be encouraged to enroll into Sonoma County Coordinated Entry System so that they can be considered for additional housing opportunities.

Permanent fencing will be installed on the site. There will also be a set of rules for residents to follow, for which they will sign an agreement upon move-in.

Residents wishing to be considered for the People’s Village can seek an application through COTS’ Outreach team, Downtown Streets Team, or at the front desk of the Mary Isaak Center. COTS will also be seeking direct referrals from the Downtown Streets Team, Petaluma Police Department and the Petaluma Health Center.

Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at amelia.parreira@arguscourier.com or 707-521-5208.