- [Angie Sebring] This is a huge and significant, and very serious issue that we're dealing with.

- To afford a 1 bedroom apartment here in the county, you need to make over $100,000 a year.

- Trying to get home, after home, after home, couldn't get one, got lucky, put all my chips on the table, I was like, "I'm Done!"

- That's what we're supposed to do is help each other, I think.

That's what I was taught anyway.

- When we give, we receive.

- I don't know, it kind of sounds like fantasy, to have a safe place to go to and have electricity and water.

- [Narrator] Bay Area Bountiful is about agriculture.

It's about feeding us.

It's about land, and water.

It's about the health of our planet.

It's about stories that matter.

(upbeat cheerful music) Bay Area Bountiful.

Cultivate, celebrate, connect.

- [Narrator] Bay Area Bountiful is made possible in part by Rocky The Free Range Chicken, and Rosie The Original Organic Chicken, The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Made Local Magazine and Sonoma County Go Local, and through the generous support of Sonoma Water.

- [Narrator] As home prices continue to rise, and new construction is slow to meet sky high demand, affordable housing remains hard to find in the Bay Area.

From the North Bay to the Peninsula, some of the most vulnerable are benefiting from novel approaches to housing.

We start in Sonoma County where one city is taking a proactive approach to provide safe parking to people living in RVs on city streets despite vocal opposition from residents.

- [Una Glass] The homelessness problem is a problem that is not unique to Sebastopol.

- [Angie Sebring] This is a huge and significant and very serious issue that we're dealing with.

We've been dealing with Morris Street and the street campers there for a number of years.

- The Morris street issue, when we pay taxes and we live here, what I don't want to look at is those trailers.

- [Una Glass] Constituents deserve to have peace and not worry about an RV rolling up and parking in front of their house.

- This is a terrible, terrible, terribly complicated and painful situation for everybody.

They're not there because they want to.

They're there because right now, they have to be.

(calm upbeat music) - So I had to move out, and I wasn't sure where I was going to go.

I was lucky enough to have someone donate this RV for me to live in.

So it works out good, it's all right.

I've lived in Sebastopol for 20 years, and I've worked here in many different places in town, and only been homeless for about a year.

The neighbors, the people that live here are all, they're all fine people.

We're just like everybody else.

A lot of us have lived in this community for many years.

Some of us were born here and then there's some people who are just new here but they've been shuffled along to the next spot.

(tires humming) - I just got it like, I've had it a month.

Yeah, people definitely look down on you.

I mean if I was a normie or whatever you want to call it, I might be a little intimidated by this area, you know what I mean?

Regardless of what the nature of the people really are.

I mean, if it's not something that you've seen, it looks like a bunch of gypsies or something, you know?

And it might bug me too if I was a long term homeowner or something here, I mean, I don't know how I'd feel about it.

- I have to say, as someone who uses the bike paths and the park, I'm appalled.

Again, I understand that they need a place, but whenever they're, excuse me, I don't want to say they, I don't want to group them all together.

They're individual people with different needs and wants, and I understand that but we all have a responsibility in society to keep it clean for others, for ourselves.

When they took this over, and no one said anything, the sidewalk couldn't be used anymore, the bike path couldn't be used anymore.

You look at the trash, I mean we give a dumpster over there for people to use.

There's trash everywhere, that's what upsets me, personally, as a concerned citizen and that's why people don't want this in their neighborhood because this is what ends up happening.

It's a conundrum that I think we all know exists in our country, especially with the prices here in California and I don't have a quick fix but it doesn't make it okay to take over a community and I think getting it out from here after seeing what happened, is very important.

- You don't want to be the biggest slobs in the world, that's for sure.

Some of us are worse than others and so, we got to make up for it, you know?

There are people that decide to drive by honking their horn and yelling out disparaging comments, it's embarrassing, it's frustrating, it's demeaning to have people yell things like, "You don't belong here.

You have no right to be here."

I mean, what's the point of doing that to anyone who's already having a hard time?

- I don't know if these people never struggled or what but I mean, I don't wish it on anybody to be homeless but it would be justified if they could understand it, if that's what it would take to make somebody have a little compassion for everybody that's on the street, you know?

Everybody has their own story, you know?

And there's mental illness, mine's just a freak accident.

I mean, it changed the whole course of my life, I didn't ask for it and I didn't deserve it but that's what happened and so I'm just trying to get back to where I was because that's what we're supposed to do is help each other, I think, that's what I was taught anyway.

And it seems like somewhere along the way people forget that we're all people and that's really what it's about.

(calm music) - The next step in addressing this issue would be a tiny village that would involve a fence around it that would have services, that would have a manager, that would have a social worker, and that would have rules and regulations.

(tires humming) So this was offered as a temporary solution to the issue of unhoused people parking along the Morris Street in downtown area, but actually all parts of our city.

(tires humming) - We've been thinking about this idea for a long time, For a really long time.

We've already got the little parking spots, right there.

Just got to use your imagination, you know?

They're getting the ground ready and they're putting up fences.

(hammer clanging) Once they do that, they're making spots for about 20 of them.

(spray hissing) And after that, everyone's going to move in, so we just tow them in and they start living here.

It's getting people to be better in life, to actually have a place to stay for a while and put their stuff where it's not going to be stolen so they can actually go get a job.

They're going to get help, they're going to be better.

(upbeat music) - It's a great neighborhood, the people all know each other.

It's a great little community, and I've liked it a lot.

We organized a neighborhood group that did go out and get legal help.

There's a very good case, we tried to get an emergency stop which they did not approve.

It's just to let people know it's still going on.

My main concern is that this is a big project that was put literally in my back yard and I was not consulted or even warned about it.

(upbeat music) - I'm a homeowner less than a half a mile away.

It's really upsetting, I am asking you to not approve the operational agreement tonight for the Saves RV Village.

- [Brett Palm] It's an absolute outrage, it's so out of touch.

You're describing this project as like some sort of Disneyland for homeless people, it's absolutely surreal.

- Sebastopol is very generous with very good intentions and the way that Morris street was developing and just the troubles they were having down there and I think that was a major concern of the city council that they desperately wanted to clean that up.

And I understand, I understand there's a need for housing, I get that, you know?

And low income housing, especially around here.

I just want to be part of the conversation.

It's my neighborhood, it's my yard.

It seems kind of like an experiment and I'm like a guinea pig in the experiment here, let's see how it goes.

(tires humming) - For the most part, everybody's just waiting to go up to the village now.

So it's pretty cool, it's actually something that I didn't think that they'd be able to do.

The scrutiny of the community wrapped around it almost made it seem like it would be something that would never happen.

I don't know, it kind of sounds like fantasy to have a safe place to go to and have electricity and water and be able to actually work and save money in a good way.

Start to focus on moving forward, rather than just the everyday life of Morris Street and trying just to stay out of trouble.

I think it's a good model.

The community is going to warm up to it, I hope, instead of being so skeptical, and I'm moving up there, probably this afternoon I'm going to head up there.

- When I move my RV to the new facility, I will be able to look for a job because I won't have to worry about what's going on with my RV during the day.

It'll be in a locked little community where we keep track of who goes in and out.

We already look out for each other but there's still strange things that go on so I hope it works out.

(calm music) (metal clanging) (tires humming) (engine revving) - Keep coming, looks good, keep coming.

(engine whirring) (tires humming) - For a while, we had to move this thing every other day just a few feet or whatever.

Yeah, we'll be able to focus on more important things now.

(engine whirring) - Keep coming.

Right there.

Perfect!

- Thank you Doc!

- You're welcome.

- Woohoo!

Just saying thank you!

- You're welcome!

- Probably have to redo it, oh man.

I'm getting a feeling.

All right!

Woohoo!

Today's the day to start a new chapter so I'm going to be receiving safe parking, so I will try to use it in a good way that helps me.

(calm music) And it's good because I know a lot of people here.

In due course, I will fix my life.

- [Angie Sebring] Just have to realize that people are going to be skeptical at first until they see something different and so hopefully we can show them something different and it won't be all disparaging comments and stuff.

Maybe we can give them something to be proud of.

(calm music descends) - I've never tried, it always just happened.

- Haha, just kidding.

(drums beating) - [John Henry Hull] I've been checking out the new scene and we're just all getting used to the idea of coexisting here for a while and everybody's kind of readjusting, I think.

- Thank you so much, everybody!

- It's like one big family of people so I've been enjoying actually having some sanctuary and not having to worry about cars driving by, and knowing that we're in charge of what we're doing here, all these other things are so much easier to deal with.

I'm stoked that I was able to make it here.

It's a blessing.

- This is good, it's safe.

I feel fortunate to be here, whether it will be a solution that will help people, I think it will.

It's supposed to just be transitional so we're supposed to be working on stuff while we're here to get us to a better spot.

It's okay, it's okay.

(gentle music) - [John Henry Hull] Having a place like this is really important.

As a example, this place could be a cool experiment for the community, and for outside this area too.

It could be something that could help the homeless situation in California and maybe help with people deciding to do better with their lives.

(gentle music) (calm music) - [Narrator] On the Peninsula, finding a reasonably priced home has been a challenge for years.

One agency that has been here to help is HIPhousing, short for Human Investment Project.

It's an affordable housing nonprofit that serves residents of San Mateo county.

(upbeat music) - The needs in our county for housing transcends decades.

In fact, being in the community for 50 years, the same types of challenges that we're facing now we were facing 20, 30 years ago, just housing challenges in general, just haven't really dissipated here in this community with great job growth, but not enough housing to meet the demand.

Rents are incredibly high.

In order to afford a 1 bedroom apartment here in the county, you need to make over $100,000 a year.

(downbeat music) - Since 1972, HIP has been implementing a solution taking hold around the country--home sharing.

- So HIPhousing's role is to connect individuals with each other and we help match individuals who have an extra room with someone who is in need of a room to rent.

(upbeat music) - Home sharing is a creative way to make use of existing housing stock.

We have many, many thousands of homes here in the community with many thousands of empty bedrooms.

- The home providers are individuals who have an extra room in their home.

Someone who is interested in sharing common spaces like the living room, the kitchen, sometimes a bathroom.

There is no typical home sharer.

You'll see that we have a variety of individuals, living, working, or going to school here.

Some of them can be working professionals, others can be seniors.

- [Narrator] The key to the program's success has been the caring team of coordinators that set up, and monitor home sharing matches.

- All right, team, I think it's time to talk about matches.

- Esperanza, what about the match with Sandra and Tammy?

- Sandra and Tammy, they're in the city.

It's going really well, I checked in with Sandra.

- Does anybody have an update on Jim and Mike's match in San Mateo?

- We spoke with Michael and he said the match is going very well.

- [Narrator] Michael McDonald is a home provider in San Mateo.

- I grew up in San Mateo and I got this house 4 years ago and I like it, it's a really nice place.

I rent out a room and Jim is in it.

- When I had found Mike through HIPhousing, it just sounded like a great fit for me.

I never thought about trying to get a 1 bedroom, or like a duplex by myself.

I think that's incredibly too expensive.

This is California, not Texas.

- Jim, sit down over here, let's have some oranges.

They screen the people so for me, I'm not out there advertising and having just a load of people either coming through here and you don't know who they are.

- Mike just told me the basics.

What I just need is just for you to respect the property.

The very simple basic rules, clean up your stove, have the rent on time.

Nothing better than a nice clean stove.

- I got to tell people they can use the kitchen because that's where they got to eat.

Whether they do or not, that's their choice but at least it's an option.

Same thing with laundry, it's like it's here, why not use it?

- At night I just go and work out here in the back yard, so, see I got- - This guy's built, man!

He's working out all the time.

And Jim is just a great guy, just like the perfect tenant.

Good fit, definitely a good fit.

We're both football fans, both 49ers fans.

He doesn't like Dallas, so it's okay.

You know, stuff like that, so.

(laughs) It's a good thing.

(upbeat music) - Many of our matches do become friends and they keep in touch even after they've decided to end their match and there have actually been a couple of matches able to form such a strong relationship that they decide to get married and it's a rare occurrence but it does happen.

- Well, Jim and I are not going to get married.

- No.

- I can tell you that.

(upbeat music) - I mean, it's very relaxed.

This is the first time I feel like, I really am coming home.

But this is the first time in years I feel like I have a home to come to.

(upbeat music) - Normalizing home sharing and getting folks interested, those are the outcomes that we all hope and strive for.

Throughout the state and throughout the country, we've provided some technical support to other nonprofits that have launched programs of their own.

- Food, housing, and community are about the essential things in life.

We get to provide the housing and we get to provide the community because a lot of these people, the seeker or the provider are by themselves, and they're trying to do life by themselves and when we get them together and form a community, it's just really a beautiful thing.

They both usually thrive.

Peter has a great model.

Everyone that I've put there has thrived physically and emotionally with what he has to offer.

- So what are we having tonight for dinner?

- Pablo picked a green bean potato salad.

- Potato salad.

- I'm aware of the shortage of housing and my particular interest was in sharing my home with people who are facing special challenges.

So I would say here I've been in this area possibly 12 or 14 years and for so about a dozen years I've been sharing the extra bedrooms in my home with people who've had a variety of situations that they've faced.

This is a small 3 bedroom home and I make 2 of the rooms available for people to stay and we provide here food and all living expenses, it's a place where somebody gets a safe place but also the logistics of life are simplified.

Basically with our food, our kind of motto is, "Ask and Gobble Gobble and Me Too."

So, ask is to ask for a recipe, and we have the various coming recipes here, people can ask for the recipe and the gobble gobble is to come to the refrigerator and to eat something that's there.

We have brown rice, salad, vegetable green drinks and special meals and some lentils.

The tag along or me too is you see somebody cooking at the stove and you say, "Oh, me too.

Fix one for me too."

So somebody who lives here can ask, they can gobble gobble, or they can me too the food.

- I don't even have to go shopping, Peter does that.

We just say, "Alexa, add bananas to the shopping list."

And Peter is so wonderful he goes out and he does all the grocery shopping.

- Alexa, add bananas to my shopping list.

- [Alexa] You already have bananas in your shopping list.

- A friend of mine, his name is Ron Remington, and he lived here with Peter, he lived at the house share that I was at before Peter's house here.

And we all heard what a great guy Peter is.

How he does this whole vegan kitchen and everything like that and so Ronny told me about it and I was just so happy because I had been at the transitional home for almost a year and it was time for me to move on.

This is going to be our beautiful garden area here at Peter's house and he's laid all this beautiful concrete here, and we have a planter box up front by the garbage cans there.

And let's see, I'm going to take you around to the back.

I can't wait to show you these.

He has spent about $200 on these planter boxes and we've got the dirt filled in on them.

I mean, it's really nice, we've done a lot of work.

So we were thinking about doing some herbs so there's a nice long planter box right over there.

So I guess we'll go back in and get some dinner.

Peter has prepared, he's got potato green bean salad, he said, so I'll be looking forward to having some of that.

- I've found that it's the part combination of good food, good movement and what I call smiling faces which is human contact that increases our health.

As Americans we tend to be isolated, and when we're in good human contact with others we tend to get healthy.

So a benefit for anybody sharing their home if they've learned to do it is their health improves, their own health.

- We're asking a lot of 2 individuals which is you've got 2 literal strangers asking he or she to invite a perfect stranger into their home, it's a really big ask and we're always grateful for each participant to give us the trust that's necessary, that leap of faith to actually create that home share match.

- I wish more people knew how important having a share program in the community is because it's different than someone just renting a room in someone's home, we build relationships and I think if more people knew that it was really a safe thing to do because we really have a process that we check people out, I would hope more people would open their homes to people that need housing.

(upbeat music descends) - Sheldon, he's our other housemate but I can't get him to pay his rent on time, so he pretty much just sleeps and eats and bathes in the sun over here on his sun rock, so.

And I think they live pretty long and he likes to play, I'm calling it play, I exercise him this way.

(chuckles) He's quite a character.

(instrumental music)