In 2021, Alameda County officials and BOSS Bay Area formally opened the new Fairmont Campus Navigation Center Tiny Homes Village with a ribbon cutting ceremony showcasing the 34 units near San Leandro to support our mission to help homeless, poor, and disabled people achieve health and self-sufficiency, and to fight against the root causes of poverty and homelessness.
Tiny Homes currently serves unhoused adults identified through Alameda County’s Coordinated Entry System, prioritizing those who have experienced long periods of homelessness.
We hope to inspire, to fan the flame of service and commitment for anyone who has a passion for community advocacy
On Friday, September 30, Jake Medcalf, Co-Founder and Senior Project Manager of the Firm Foundation expressed interest in a tour for advocates interested in our model, i.e. the structure of the Tiny Home units and our program for respite and non-respite guests. His goal aligns with our mission to provide as many housing options as possible, including emergency shelter and supported independent living.
We were also joined by members of the community and Bethel Community Church. The church is opening its own Tiny Home units to serve the chronically homeless population in their area. They wanted to get a feel for how our program was structured, how we built the sense of community that we have on campus, and what ways we can partner/collaborate moving forward.
We would like all guests to walk away from the Fairmont Campus Navigation Center with a strong sense of self and community
Fifteen Homes at the site are for medical respite. The program provides property management and access to case management, housing navigation services, life skills classes, a small computer lab, peer support groups, and more.
Guests in the respite program have a safe place to recover/heal and immediate access to medical support services for acute and post-acute illnesses. Guests enrolled in the non-respite program ideally exit with a permanent housing option, tools for self-sufficiency, and the confidence to take the following steps toward growth and development in their lives.
During the visit, council members, delegates, and advocates toured the offices and units at the campus. They participated in the Q&A to learn more about the rationale for the structure's selection and the significance of having a team --- staff, nurses, and housing navigators to assess the needs and care for the guests. We hope that after hearing from staff, current guests, and alums of the FCNC program, visitors better understand the challenges our chronically homeless brothers and sisters face and the resources available for them. We hope to inspire and fan the flame of service and commitment for anyone passionate about community advocacy.
Our goal at BOSS is to bring more awareness to the need for programs like the Fairmont Campus Navigation Center and the impact this program has made on our homeless community.
"I would like all guests to walk away from the Fairmont Campus Navigation Center with a strong sense of self and community," said Jason Shaw, Fairmont Campus Navigation Center Program Manager.
Do you have land or buildings that could be used for affordable housing in our communities? Please get in touch with BOSS Chief Executive Officer Donald Frazier at dfrazier@self-sufficiency.org or 510-649-1930 x 1012.
All donations help BOSS operate life-changing programs that provide love, respect, safety, and a sense of belonging to families, individuals, and communities impacted by poverty and inequity.
Donations from our Amazon Wishlist will help low-income individuals get set up for success as they move into their new homes.
San Leandro City Council Member Bryan Azevedo of District 2
San Leandro City Council Member Corina Lopez of District 5
20 San Leandro community activists and community members
Jake Medcalf from the Firm Foundation Community Housing (Agency that constructed the Tiny Homes), Co-Founder and Senior Project Manager
Taryn Sandulyak from the Firm Foundation Community Housing (Agency that constructed the Tiny Homes), Co-Founder and Senior Project Manager
Catherine Hayes, BSN, MPH, Family Nurse Practitioner Co-interim Medical Director, Project Roomkey, Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless (Medical Director of nursing staff on site)
Alexis Chettiar, Ph.D., ACNP-BC, CEO & Co-Founder, Cardea Health (CEO of nursing staff on site)
Kathleen Kelly, President of the San Leandro Art Association, Inc.
BOSS senior management and leadership