Pallet Launches New Shelter Solution to Combat Homelessness

The company's new shelter design aims to provide cities and municipalities with a rapid, safe, and cost-effective response to the swelling homelessness crisis

EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pallet®, a public benefit corporation focused on ending unsheltered homelessness, announced the launch of an innovative new shelter that offers faster deployment and installation capabilities, improved safety features and energy efficiency, larger living space, and a cleaner aesthetic. With this latest shelter line, designed and manufactured in the U.S., Pallet was selected as an award recipient for the provision of Emergency Sleeping Cabins under Contract #1-23-54-01B by the State of California.

The new product design builds on the successful foundation of Pallet's previous interim shelter line, informed by feedback from residents of the over 120 Pallet shelter communities across the country and realized by a team of in-house engineers. The new line includes a 70 sq. ft Sleeper model and a 120 sq. ft EnSuite model, which is the first Pallet sleeping cabin to include in-unit hygiene facilities for populations who would benefit from this accessibility.

"We are thrilled to introduce our new shelter line and continue partnering with cities, counties, and states to end the crisis of unsheltered homelessness," shares Amy King, Founder and CEO of Pallet. "Having our innovative products set within a healing community environment allows unhoused populations to stabilize through consistent access to supportive wraparound services, and ultimately make their next steps toward more permanent housing solutions."

Pallet's shelter villages have already proven to be an effective model in California as demonstrated by the more than 40 sites across the state, built through trusted partnerships with cities and counties spanning as north as Redding and as south as San Diego. This success is shown in data collected from service providers currently operating Pallet shelter villages: an average of nearly 130 residents per year have demonstrated positive housing transitions across a survey of just six of the 40 sites; in Los Angeles, crime rates within a quarter mile of Pallet villages decreased by an average of almost 25% — even as citywide crime rose by 19%.

Building more housing alone will not solve this persisting crisis. A wealth of evidence confirms that successful transitions for vulnerable, unhoused populations are achieved by coupling secure interim shelter with supportive services. This is a crucial aspect of the reintegration ecosystem for people living with substance use disorder, experiencing chronic homelessness, and facing physical or mental health challenges. Marginalized populations are enabled to reach security and stability when policies and dollars are provided for these data-driven solutions.

"For years, Pallet has led the way in designing humane, cost-effective sleeping cabins that can be deployed quickly to address the crisis of unsheltered homelessness," says Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. "Amy King and her team have also broadened their focus beyond shelter to push for national and state policies that will hopefully reduce the ongoing need for emergency strategies through prioritization of investment in permanent housing. Every solution requires the thoughtful pairing of wraparound service provision, workforce development programming, effective policy creation (like California's Proposition 1), and sustainable funding strategies — all of which Pallet helps to provide and support in cities across the U.S."

The unveiling of Pallet's new shelters coincides with approaching cold weather, which claims the lives of hundreds of unhoused people each year. The 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) count from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shows a 12% rise in homelessness and suggests a return to congregate models is a contributing factor, leaving more and more people living on the streets. This highlights the urgency and importance of implementing non-congregate interim solutions. More affordable and accessible housing is required to solve this problem, but it cannot be built fast enough to keep up with the surge in displacement across the country. Thoughtful solutions like Pallet do not take land, funding, or housing units out of existing stock, but rather repurposes them to maximize land utilization while we wait for that housing to come online.

"If we want different results, we must begin doing things differently. We must open our hearts and minds to innovative ideas, double down on tested, proven, and successful models, and put the work in the hands of those who understand it best," Dr. Lena Miller, CEO of Urban Alchemy says. "The combination of freedom and security of Pallet shelter communities addresses the most acute needs of guests, allowing them space to think and plan their next move on the pathway to increased stability and permanent housing. We have seen the difference that can be made in the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors when they are offered a diverse array of interim housing options, are welcomed by leadership and staff with lived experience, and are offered more than just a bed and a meal – but also the resources, understanding, empathy, and support that empower them to put their lives back together and realize their fullest potential."

To showcase its newest products — the 70 sq. ft. Sleeper and 120 sq. ft. EnSuite — Pallet is embarking on a four-week roadshow for an array of audiences across California (state and municipal elected officials, government staffers, service providers, non-profit groups, business associations, and community advocates).

The roadshow will kick off on the steps of the Sacramento Capitol and wrap in San Diego, with a total of 11 stops. Every location will be set as a casual open house format that allows the community to view Pallet's newest shelters and engage with Pallet staff and community partners from 10 am - 4 pm. 

Learn more about Pallet by visiting this media toolkit. 

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SOURCE Pallet