I am creating a new tiny home village and you can live there for free - but residents have to meet certain requirements

ACTIVISTS have approved construction of a new shelter for homeless youth.

Richmond Tiny House Village Garden and Farm is Richmond, California's answer to an exponential need for youth housing.

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The village of tiny homes was approved in September, and will create emergency housing for young Californians who are facing homelessness.

The tiny homes are specifically tailored to those who have aged out of the foster care system.

“I get calls every day from young people that are on the street that are trying to figure out what they’re going to do. And it’s just awful. It’s just awful,” Sally Hindman, co-manager of the village, said to Richmond Confidential.

“Much more attention is needed. We need more permanent supportive housing.”

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The tiny homes are modeled after a similar shelter in Oakland, California, which has 22 shelters.

The Richmond village will have 12 units and cost about $976,536 to construct. Funding is coming mainly from the community and religious groups, with the Mormon Church and the Contra County Measure X sales tax providing a large chunk.

The architecture department at the University of San Francisco provided the designs for the village and it will be a community effort to construct the tiny homes.

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A study by the University of San Francisco showed that California has the highest homeless population in the country, largely in part due to the housing crisis in the Bay Area.

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The average rent in the area is $3,700, a whopping 80 percent higher than the nation's average rent.

“A lot of young people are just at the beginning of their work lives, so they are in the middle of starting to get the training that they need and really to figure out what their careers are going to be,” Hindman said.

“That makes it harder for them to be in an income bracket that makes it possible to pay Bay Area rent.”

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development will help choose who gets to stay in the shelters.

Those who get housing will be allowed to stay for a maximum of two years and will be required to pay one-third of their monthly income as their rent.

The sheltered youth will also receive vocational training to assist them in finding long-term employment and permanent housing.

“Affordable housing units are in great demand. The majority of these projects typically have little or no vacancy and very often have waiting lists,” said Richmond housing manager Jesus M. Morales.

Morales said another 135 units of affordable housing will begin development in 2024.