GlobeSt.com: What is the cost savings on this model, versus a more traditional low-income development?
Oberholzer: The bulk of the cost savings is in the reduced construction schedule – we anticipate that the overall construction time will be 25-30% less than conventional construction.
In terms of straight materials' cost, a wood podium apartment building would generally be less expensive, except that it would take much longer to build. Since the shipping containers are manufactured and delivered to the site, there's much less construction mobilization time on site, and the work on the foundations can occur at the same time the shipping containers are being built off-site. The use of shipping containers avoids the limitations of sequential, on-site construction.

GlobeSt.com: What is your vision for the community?
Oberholzer: We wanted to develop something unique for this underserved population. KTGY's design is centered around a central courtyard, providing privacy and encouraging safety and a sense of community According to Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority, the homeless population in Los Angeles County has increased to nearly 58,000 people, an increase of 23 percent over last year. Although nearly 15,000 of those considered homeless were in shelters, demand continues to outpace supply. Hope on Alvarado, the first in a series of housing complexes for individuals transitioning from homelessness, will provide supportive services in a highly walkable community. Walk Score rates this location a “Walker's Paradise” with a score of 90 out of 100. It also has excellent access to transit. Although the numbers of homeless are immense, we are hoping to make a difference for 84 individuals with this new residential community.

GlobeSt.com: This is a community for people “transitioning” from homelessness. Who exactly will this community serve and what kinds of amenities will be on site to serve them?
Oberholzer: This is a supportive housing project, which means that there is a building manager who lives on site, as well as several full-time caseworkers who office on the ground floor and assist the residents. People transitioning from homeless have a wide variety of needs – they might need help with paperwork or be dealing with serious illnesses that require careful management. This project will provide a safe, supportive environment where residents can focus on improving their situation instead of spending their time looking for somewhere to sleep.

GlobeSt.com: Are there other cost-savings alternative housing models that we should be considering to create more homeless and even low-income housing projects in Los Angeles?
Oberholzer: One of the mistakes many cities have made in the past is to attempt to build massive public housing projects, which invariably become stigmatized as “the projects.” What most advocates of supportive and affordable housing know is that a better approach is to integrate all types of housing together where possible—recognizing that community size matters to the community.