Oakland to Open Eco-Friendly Homeless Shelter

Crossroads, a 125-bed homeless facility, incorporates green building concepts to better serve its clients. Many homeless people have respiratory-related health problems and a green building will be healthier for them.

1 minute read

January 29, 2008, 5:00 AM PST

By maryereynolds

"Crossroads may be the only homeless shelter built green from the beginning. It has a solar-paneled roof, hydronic heating, ceiling fans, nontoxic paint, windows that can be opened for fresh air, and desks and bureaus made from pressed wheat. David Kears, the director of the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency explains, 'The building has to be healthy to make people healthy.' Wendy Jackson, executive director of the East Oakland Community Project, spent 10 years raising the $11 million for the new state-of-the-art facility."

FULL STORY: A Shelter Is Built Green, to Heal Inside and Out

Monday, January 28, 2008 in The New York Times

Housing Social / Demographics California

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.