EIKON VILLAGE HOUSING

Background

The Northern California District Church of the Nazarene owns the property located at 26221 Gading Road in Hayward, CA. EIKON is the Nazarene faith community that runs its ministry from the Gading site. EIKON partners with the humanitarian aid organization World Vision to receive high quality goods and furniture from corporate partners and donates them to families in need. EIKON and the Church of the Nazarene have engaged Firm Foundation Community Housing as a Development Project Manager to transform a part of the Gading Road property into a Micro-Home Village community. 

In December 2021, as part of a Hayward City Council review of proposed housing development projects, Councilmember Sara Lamnin suggested developing the Gading project for unhoused college students, given the extreme crisis of affordable housing for students in the larger Hayward area. Through introductions provided by City of Hayward staff, EIKON and Firm Foundation Community Housing consulted CSUEB staff on the needs of unhoused and housing insecure college students. From these discussions, EIKON and Firm Foundation Community Housing have developed a proposal to transform unused yard space into EIKON Village Housing to house active college students from CSUEB who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in the Hayward area. 

The Housing Crisis for Students in the Hayward Area

A July 2021 Housing Brief, published by CSUEB Professor Sarah Taylor and former CSUEB CARE Case Manager Elilta Tewelde, provides a real-time snapshot of housing conditions for CSUEB students.  Surveys of students on the CSUEB campus in 2017 (CSU Basic Needs Initiative) and 2018 (Real College) found respectively that 18.3% and 17% of its students experienced an episode of homelessness one or more times in the previous 12 months. The CSUEB campus rate was higher than the CSU-wide rate of 10.9%, reflecting the unique housing challenges experienced by students in the SF Bay Area. Expanding to the broader category of housing insecurity, the Real College survey found that 60% of students on campus experience housing insecurity. The Basic Needs Initiative found that students on the CSUEB campus who are unhoused have lower GPAs and more academic concerns. In the Learning Framework study, 59% of students selected housing as a challenge that impacts their academic progress. Unhoused students experience more days of poor health per month and more days of poor mental health. Research indicates further disparities as the Basic Needs Initiative Survey found that Black, first gen students were more likely to have experienced one or more nights of homelessness. Based on campus case management experiences working with housing insecure students, many drop out of school due to lack of resources and the stress that it causes them, pushing their goals for long-term success even further away. Some move out of state to access housing, disconnecting them from our campus and existing support systems.  Many housing insecure students do not qualify for off-campus housing programs because they are not considered “chronically homeless” and therefore have difficulty accessing housing services. In the Learning Framework study, students reported experiencing substantial challenges related to their living situations, including concerns about safety, overcrowding, paying rent, lack of quiet space to study, and long commutes.

Project Concept

EIKON Village would consist of 12 ADA compliant micro-homes, each 252 square feet. The units are built to meet state Housing and Community Development (HCD) quality standards, on fixed foundations with utilities as well as private bathrooms, kitchens, appliances, and living space.  These CA state-certified homes can be fully installed within six to eight weeks, making them a much quicker and more cost-effective alternative to other types of housing development. If approved, the units will be assembled in a temporary, HCD-approved factory and placed on site with certification placards. The micro-home village will comply with all state and local building and fire codes. Sewer, water and power connections will be inspected and reviewed by the City.

In addition to the units, EIKON Village will feature outdoor green space and seating available to residents and their guests. EIKON is also excited to provide high quality furniture and supplies, as appropriate, to the residents of the units.

EIKON and Firm Foundation Community Housing are targeting late 2023 for the first residents to move-in to EIKON Village.

Target Population

The target population of EIKON Village will be unhoused or housing insecure college students attending CSUEB. The goal in building this village is to provide supportive housing and community for 11 students at any given time. The 12th unit will be reserved for a Community Advisor (CA) who will live on-site to support the community. Additional information about the duties of a Community Advisor is listed below. 

Tenant Selection

As part of their work in the Emergency Housing program, CSUEB case manager will refer eligible students to EIKON. 

EIKON will own and operate the village, receive resident referrals from CSUEB case manager, and provide property management for the village grounds and units.  Upon review of application (including proof of CSUEB registration and demonstration of income level), EIKON will provide a rental agreement that outlines the expectations of the tenant and property owner and creates the most supportive environment possible for students.  

Rent

Rent will be determined based on a sliding scale, with the target median rent payment at approx. $500 per month. EIKON will verify income and housing status through documentation such as bank statements and pay stubs, and will utilize most current AMI standards to determine income level/financial status. 

Length of Stay

As long as a resident provides documentation of current registration at CSUEB, they may remain housed at EIKON Village. Upon completion of their studies and receipt of their diploma, the student will be allowed a 3-month grace period to transition to a permanent housing solution outside of EIKON Village. The unit will then become available to another unhoused or housing insecure student at CSUEB. 

EIKON desires to create a supportive environment for its student residents to achieve their academic goals. If the student is enrolling for a graduate degree at CSUEB immediately after completing their undergraduate program, they can remain housed at the Micro-Home Village (upon providing appropriate documentation). 

If a student has not completed their degree program and is no longer registered at CSUEB, the student will be provided with a 3-month grace period to find a permanent housing solution outside of the Micro-Home Village. 

Supportive Services

CSUEB provides on-campus supportive services to all students. These include, but are not limited to, academic assistance, physical and mental health services, emergency financial assistance, confidential campus advocacy for students impacted by sexual violence, and basic needs resources.  Micro-home Village student residents can access these individualized services through the Division of Student Affairs, just as any other students enrolled at CSUEB. 

Additionally, CSUEB Professor & Chair, Department of Social Work, Dr. Sarah Taylor is working on a proposal to allow Masters of Social Work students to provide residents of the Micro-Home Village with case management as part of their training hours completion.