Sacramento Tiny Home Shelter Helps Homeless Young Adults

First Step Communities shelter provides temporary housing and support services to get young people back on their feet.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 12:47am

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A temporary tiny home shelter in Sacramento, California is providing housing and support services to help homeless young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 get back on their feet. The First Step Communities shelter houses 50 young people, many of whom are former foster youth, and is now asking the community to "adopt" individual cabins to help raise additional funding for on-site therapists and other resources.

Why it matters

Homelessness among young adults is a growing issue, especially for those who have aged out of the foster care system. The First Step Communities shelter is taking an innovative approach by providing temporary tiny home housing along with mental health support and job preparation to help this vulnerable population transition to independent living.

The details

The First Step Communities shelter in north Sacramento provides each resident with their own tiny home cabin, complete with a bed, air conditioning, and electricity. Residents share common facilities like bathrooms, a game room, and laundry. The shelter's executive director says the goal is to prepare the young adults, many of whom have experienced unstable living conditions, to get jobs and live on their own. The shelter is now asking community members to "adopt" individual cabins with a $2,000 donation to help fund on-site therapists and other support services.

  • The First Step Communities shelter has been open for 5 years.
  • The shelter currently houses 50 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.

The players

Tristin Endl

A 23-year-old resident of the First Step Communities shelter who had previously been homeless and living on the streets of Sacramento.

Joseph Pacheco

The executive director of the First Step Communities shelter in Sacramento.

First Step Communities

A temporary tiny home shelter in Sacramento that provides housing and support services to homeless young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.

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What they’re saying

“It was terrifying because I didn't know where I was going to sleep next.”

— Tristin Endl

“For a large number of the young people that come here, this is the first time they've ever had a room to themselves.”

— Joseph Pacheco, Executive Director, First Step Communities

“I'd say the majority of the young people who come to our site here are prior foster youth.”

— Joseph Pacheco, Executive Director, First Step Communities

What’s next

The First Step Communities shelter has a long waitlist of young people seeking to move into the tiny home cabins, and the facility is always full. The shelter is continuing to seek community donations to expand its services and reach more homeless young adults in Sacramento.

The takeaway

The First Step Communities shelter is providing a vital service by offering temporary housing, mental health support, and job preparation to help homeless young adults, many of whom are former foster youth, get back on their feet and transition to independent living. This innovative tiny home model is a promising approach to addressing youth homelessness in Sacramento and could serve as a model for other communities.