Barrios Unidos embraces tiny home movement for young people, homeless, veterans of color
Santa Cruz SentinelJun 10, 2018
They are the prime candidates of a tiny home, said Barrios Unidos founder and Executive Director
"A tent is not a home," Alejandrez said. "A cardboard box and sleeping bag is not a home. We see this in
Alejandrez said he wants the community to consider expanding how it considers small homes. He said it should be an alternative for people struggling to find a place to live, especially people of color.
"Our young people from
Barrios Unidos specializes in helping formerly incarcerated people return to productive, free lives.
For Hawk Lowden, a
Lowden, who served roughly 27 years in prison for a traffic death involving intoxicated driving, said he will live with that grief the rest of his life. He attended Saturday's event to give back to his, and others', communities in a life-long quest to spread positivity after enduring the depths of despair.
At one point in his prison term, Lowden spent six months in solitary confinement. The desolation spurred his self reflection and recovery.
He said tiny homes would help many of his fellow rehabilitated parolees.
"I had a rough childhood," Lowden said. "I blamed a lot of my problems on others. It took time, but I finally learned to be accountable in the last 11 years of my incarceration."
When he was released -- on
He met Alejandrez, who was "bringing the message of hope and teaching anti-violence" to the incarcerated, Lowden said.
"My drinking and my driving hurt a lot of people," Lowden said. But his path to becoming a productive adult has driven him to boost others. "I can't change my past, but I can change myself."
Now, he said he wants to build a retreat on his property in
"I have the property. It would be perfect to work with the youth in the community," Lowden said.
For 73-year-old
Haye, who was born in
There wasn't a word for his condition: now known as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Haye, released in
"We are held on a tighter chain," Haye said.
"This is a universal problem," Vasquez said. "There are Americans who retire in
He said Habitat will consider how it might help efforts to create tiny homes -- those smaller than 500-square-foot accessory dwellings known as ADUs.
"Habitat is working with low-income families," Foster said. "Barrios is looking to work with low- low-income people."
The housing problem -- high rent and low supply of homes -- is growing in the
"If every church in this county adopted one or two tiny houses, we could absolve our housing crisis," Foster said.
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