(FOX40.COM) — Out of 125 beds at the South Sacramento “Safe Stay Community,” county officials say only about 65 are being used. This comes two months after the county started the process of getting people to temporarily live in the tiny homes. 

Getting people off the streets and into safe housing is a major goal for the state of California, especially right here in Sacramento. But providing those beds, and filling them is taking longer than anticipated. 

County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who recently spent a night in one of the tiny homes, said, “We’re doing a slow rollout so that we can find out where we need to tweak some things to ensure it’s a success and to not overwhelm the system.” 

Kennedy said he slept well and was glad the county decided to move forward with the idea. However, some suggested improvements include the addition of curtains, upgrading the pump showers, and improving the outdoor space for pets. 

Image of one of the tiny homes in Sacramento County. Out of 125 available beds, 65 are in use, officials said.
One of the tiny homes available at the Safe Stay Community on Power Inn and Florin Roads in Sacramento County. (Image Credit: Melissa Deverell | FOX40)

“When I was there, I was sitting out with my dog one night, and at a picnic table,  three women came up to me who were residents of the site. All three of them told me the same thing, and that’s that this place saved my life. As a county supervisor, you can’t hear better words than that,” Kennedy said.  

Kennedy says the round-the-clock security and the wrap-around services are primarily what help those in need. 

“All three of them are taking advantage. One’s getting her high school diploma. One’s trying to get her GED so she can get employed. They’re taking advantage of those services, with the ultimate goal of getting out of there into a more permanent setting.” 

The city of Sacramento announced it’s looking to break ground for 175 new tiny homes off Stockton Blvd in the next couple of months. Then, it plans to place some at Cal Expo. 

Kennedy says the City and County need more. 

“We need two things: One is a more immediate shelter like tiny homes, so people can get off the street and get the services they need to stabilize them in a secure, dignified setting. The second thing is building more affordable housing.” 

The Safe Stay site is located on Power Inn and Florin Roads.