Tiny Village Project now under construction in Watsonville to provide shelter and support for the unhoused

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV) — Construction is officially underway on the new Tiny Village project in Watsonville, a joint effort by Santa Cruz and Monterey counties to provide shelter for people experiencing homelessness, particularly those living along the Pajaro River.

According to Roxanne Wilson, Director of Homeless Services, modular housing units are arriving at a pace of 4 to 6 per day. By the end of the year, the site will include 32 non-congregate modular units installed on the Westview Presbyterian Church property.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” Wilson said. “We have to make connections to utility lines.”

The project is focused on relocating and supporting people currently living unsheltered near the Pajaro River. Although many are still in provisional living situations, Wilson noted early progress.

“The biggest thing to report there is even though people are still experiencing technically unsheltered homelessness in this provisional site, 25% of those individuals have already been permanently housed,” she said.

Once complete, the village will feature 24-hour staffing, security cameras, a designated pet area, and access to supportive services. Wilson explained that nearly $8 million in funding was secured in 2023 to develop the site as part of a larger regional plan.

“We received, in 2023, nearly $8 million. And that project is to serve people who are experiencing homelessness along the Pajaro levee. This project is a result of a collaboration between the County of Monterey and the County of Santa Cruz,” she said.

Due to its location on an active floodplain, each unit must be elevated at least three feet off the ground to withstand potential flooding. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-November.

Mike Kittredge, Director of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Services at the Community Action Board, acknowledged that community engagement was an early challenge.

“One of the other challenges that we faced is engaging the community. There was initially some resistance to the project, particularly in the neighborhoods surrounding where the project is,” Kittredge said. “So we needed to take the time to get out, go knock on doors, meet people, help them understand what the project’s about.”

The village will be able to serve 34 people at a time. With more than 100 individuals currently living along the levee, case managers will continue working to house the remaining population through other programs and housing options.