In the wake of the Sonoma County, Calif., wildfires that destroyed 5,200 homes last October, Habitat for Humanity has announced the Sonoma Wildfire Cottage Initiative, a pilot program that will launch efforts to design and build several temporary cottages for families who have been displaced by the fires. The cottages, which showcase three recent innovative building technologies, will be developed and designed in partnership with Marianne Cusato of Cypress Community Development Corporation, who was also the designer of the Katrina cottages after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
“We are excited to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County and Rebuild Wine County to showcase an unprecedented range of prefabricated building solutions,” says Cusato. “With the labor shortage in the building industry, coupled with rising material costs, it is nearly impossible to meet the demand for affordable workforce housing, not just in Sonoma County, but across the nation. This project is a laboratory for the future of residential home building nationwide.”
Global medical technology company Medtronic has donated use of land at their Sonoma County division to host up to 10 cottages. According to a release issued by Habitat for Humanity Sonoma County, the cottages will be designed as efficient, cost effective, timely, and volunteer-friendly solutions for long-term affordable and workforce housing in Sonoma County. The Medtronic Foundation has also donated $100,000 to further Habitat for Humanity’s relief efforts in Sonoma County, and Rebuild Wine Country—a charitable effort managed by volunteer wine industry professionals from both Napa and Sonoma counties—has raised $1 million thus far, with a goal of raising $5 million for the Sonoma Wildfire Cottage Initiative and additional rebuild efforts by other local Habitat for Humanity organizations in the North Bay.
Rendering Courtesy Opticos/ Habitat for Humanity Sonoma County
“Prior to the wildfires our affiliate had already begun exploring modern approaches to reduce affordable housing costs while increasing production due to Sonoma County being one of the least affordable counties in the nation,” says John Kennedy, interim CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County and chairman of the board.
“The devastating October wildfires destroyed over 5,200 homes in Sonoma County, which made our housing crisis dramatically worse. This pilot project helps us quickly evaluate a variety of technologies while simultaneously helping families in dire need of stable temporary housing. We are delighted with the multiple partners who have stepped forward to make this project a success,” he continues.
The three companies chosen to participate in the program include: Connect-Homes, GigaCrete/Presidio Realty Advisors, and West Coast SIPs. Cypress Community Development will oversee the building and development process with input from the affected communities and stakeholders. Opticos Design, of Berkley, Calif., is designing the master plan for the development. Construction on the cottages is expected to begin this summer and the anticipated date for occupancy late fall and early winter of this year.
