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Humboldt Watch

A Community Proposal: A Tiny-House Village for Eureka

Drawing of Emerald Village in Eugene, a tiny-house village by Opportunity Village, with small cabins, a yurt, gardens and a bus stop

Written by

DeeHumboldt

in

Updated October 14, 2026

Could opportunity village work in Eureka? Open ai was tasked with formulating a plan based on the success of opportunity village.

1. What Opportunity Village is

The video “Building Opportunity Village” shows a small village of tiny homes for people who have no housing.

  • What it is: A transitional village. “Transitional” means a safe, temporary stepping stone between the street and a real home.
  • How it started: Eugene held a city task force on homelessness in 2011. A group of regular citizens kept pushing afterward. They formed a nonprofit in July 2012. That nonprofit is now called SquareOne Villages.
  • The land: The City of Eugene provided about one acre of land. A written contract with the city sets the rules for using it.
  • The building: Volunteers and future residents built the homes in 2013. Churches, businesses, and neighbors donated materials and labor. They built the first 5 homes in one day. The whole village took about 9 months.
  • Cost to build: Each tiny home cost about $2,000 in materials (2013 prices).
  • Who lives there: About 30 to 35 adults. Children are not allowed.
  • Shared spaces: A shared kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and workshop.
  • How it is run: The residents run it themselves. This is called self-managed. They follow a written “Community Agreement” (house rules) and hold a monthly village meeting. The nonprofit gives oversight and support.
  • Cost to run: About $45,000 a year (2017), or roughly $3 to $5 per person per night. Residents paid $30 a month toward utilities.
  • Neighbors: A Eugene city councilor said he received zero complaints about it.

2. Where Eureka stands now (October 2026)

Bayside Village (Hilfiker Lane)

  • About 32 small units, built by the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation.
  • Betty Chinn chose not to renew her contract. The City took over on May 15, 2026.
  • It is now run by Uplift Eureka, a city program. Open Door Mobile Medical comes on site.

New shelter at 16 Second Street (Old Town)

  • 40 beds in small factory-built sleeping units from LIT Homes (Portland).
  • Paid for with a private donation of about $2.9 million.
  • On October 6, 2026, the Council approved a construction contract of about $699,000.
  • Planned to open in early 2027.
  • News reports differ on who will run it day to day (the Betty Kwan Chinn Foundation or the City through Uplift).

The City’s ad hoc committee on shelter options

  • An ad hoc committee is a temporary working group made for one job. It formed in 2025.
  • Members: Councilmembers Renee Contreras-DeLoach and G. Mario Fernandez, City Manager Miles Slattery, mental health clinician Jacob Rosen, CAPE Project Manager Jeff Davis, and Chief Building Official Brendan Reilly.
  • On April 7, 2026, they reported on villages in Portland, San Rafael, and Sacramento.
  • The option they liked best: Conestoga Huts. These are small, insulated, hard-shell huts with a locking door. About $4,500 built, or about $2,500 as a kit.
  • Hurdle: California treats these huts like tents, which brings different zoning and accessibility (ADA) rules.
  • Several churches said they could host 2 to 5 huts each.
  • The Council accepted the report but took no action. The Mayor said the missing pieces are a location, funding, and someone to run it.

History

  • In 2014 and 2015, a local group called AHHA (Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives) pushed for an Opportunity Village–style project here.
  • AHHA brought Opportunity Village co-founder Andrew Heben to speak in Eureka.
  • The Council voted unanimously then to explore a tiny-house pilot. AHHA’s later proposal was turned down.

The bottom line: Eureka has a city-run village and a new shelter coming. What it does not have yet is a small, resident-run, volunteer-built village like Opportunity Village.

3. A step-by-step plan

Phase 1: Get organized (Months 1–2)

  1. Write down the 3 things that matter most about the Opportunity Village model.
  2. Gather a team of 5 to 10 people: a faith leader, a builder, someone who has been homeless, and a neighbor or business owner.
  3. Check whether AHHA is still active.
  4. Join the Humboldt Housing & Homelessness Coalition (HHHC) email list.
  5. Book a first consultation with SquareOne Villages, which helps other towns start villages.

Phase 2: Talk with the City (Months 2–3)

  1. Ask Councilmembers Contreras-DeLoach and Fernandez where the church-hosted hut idea stands.
  2. Meet with Uplift Eureka about providing services.
  3. Ask the Chief Building Official which structures are allowed, and about ADA rules.
  4. Speak during public comment at a City Council meeting.

Phase 3: Find land and money (Months 3–6)

  1. Land: Start with churches willing to host a few huts. Also ask about unused City or County land.
  2. Money: Private donors, local businesses, foundations, and state housing funds such as PLHA and HHAP.
  3. Write a one-page proposal: site, number of huts, cost, who runs it, and house rules.

Phase 4: Start small (Months 6–12)

  1. Begin with 2 to 5 huts at one church as a pilot (a small test run).
  2. Write the house rules with the future residents.
  3. Hold volunteer build days.
  4. Track results for 6 months, report to the Council, and grow if it works.

Timing note: Eureka’s election is November 3, 2026. The Mayor’s seat and Wards 1, 3, and 5 are on the ballot, so some contacts may change in December.

4. Who to contact

City Council members can be reached at 707-441-4140 plus their extension, or by the “Email” button on the City’s Meet the Mayor & Council page.

Name Role How to reach
Kim Bergel Mayor of Eureka City website, Meet the Mayor & Council
Leslie Castellano Councilmember, Ward 1 707-441-4140 ext. 1
Kati Moulton Councilmember, Ward 2 707-441-4140 ext. 2
G. Mario Fernandez Councilmember, Ward 3; shelter committee 707-441-4140 ext. 3
Scott Bauer Councilmember, Ward 4 707-441-4140 ext. 4
Renee Contreras-DeLoach Councilmember, Ward 5; shelter committee 707-441-4140 ext. 5
Miles Slattery City Manager Eureka City Hall, 531 K Street
Jeff Davis CAPE Project Manager, Uplift Eureka uplifteureka.com
Brendan Reilly Chief Building Official Eureka City Hall
Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation Local shelter nonprofit Day Center: 707-407-3833, 133 7th St.
Humboldt Housing & Homelessness Coalition Countywide coalition HHHC@co.humboldt.ca.us
Natalie Arroyo County Supervisor, District 4 Clerk of the Board: 707-476-2390
Rex Bohn County Supervisor, District 1 Clerk of the Board: 707-476-2390
SquareOne Villages Nonprofit behind Opportunity Village squareonevillages.org
Community Supported Shelters Makers of Conestoga Huts communitysupportedshelters.org
Building Lives By Building Structure Hoopa Valley hempcrete builder blbs.us

5. Things to keep in mind

  • Oregon allows some things California does not. California’s zoning and ADA rules apply here.
  • Eugene’s costs are from 2013–2017. Prices are higher today.
  • Past sites in Eureka drew pushback from nearby businesses. Early, honest outreach to neighbors helps.
  • A few huts that work well can build trust before anything larger.

Sources

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