New dorms built in Oakland for youth facing housing insecurity
Homelessness throughout California continues to be a pressing issue. Unfortunately, many young adults in the Bay Area face housing insecurity.
But there's a program in Oakland trying to change that.
The Youth Employment Partnership (YEP) in Oakland just finished building dorms for 18 to 24-year-olds who are housing insecure. It's right across the tiny homes they built just a couple of years ago during the pandemic.
"I was homeless. I ain't have nothing. I didn't even have a car. I have a car now. You see the progress," said Trayvon Gray, who went through the YEP program and is now a residential assistant at the tiny homes.
YEP helps young people earn their high school diplomas and develop skills in certain fields like construction, landscaping and culinary.
"When I came here, it was like knocking out two birds with one stone or many birds with one stone. I had a lot of problems. I was sleeping at parks," Gray said.
He earned his high school diploma through YEP and even helped build the tiny homes that he lives in. Gray showed KPIX around.
There are about 10 tiny homes, and there's an area to wash dishes and an area to watch TV.
Now across the street, construction has wrapped up for a dormitory that can house up to 30 people.
Renee Williams is the director of strategic partnerships at YEP. She said the dorms are meant for people to stay in while they are going through a certificate program or community college.
"They have to come here in one of our classrooms and do their homework. We call them education hours. So it's kind of an exchange for housing. We want them to become self-sufficient, but we have to help them do that," Williams said.
Lapraya Simon and Anthony Calderon are two young people who live in the tiny homes and helped build the dorms.
"We did painting. We assembled the beds; we did some electricity work," Simon said.
Many came to celebrate the construction of the dorms, including city leaders. At the core of it, the hope is that it helps more young adults.
Gray knows firsthand what having a place to live and the support to develop your skills can do for a young adult.
"One day I want to have my own Boys and Girls Club. It's gonna be a place like this, but it's gonna be under my name, my brand, whatever I make," Gray said.
YEP said the funding for the dorms came from private foundations and individual philanthropists.