Troy Street Sleeping Cabins FAQs

The Troy Street Sleeping Cabins is a project funded and sponsored by the County. It will  provide small emergency housing cabins for  people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated communities and City of Lemon Grove. 

The proposed site is located on property owned by the California Department of Transportation ( CalTrans ) at the intersection of Troy Street and Sweetwater Road (2800 Sweetwater Road, Lemon Grove, CA 91945). The site will have 60 sleeping cabins, accommodating single women or men and couples.  

• September 2019 – Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law (California State & Highway Code Section 104.30) that allows land to be leased at $1 per month to support homelessness solutions.
  
  
• March 2023 – Governor Newsom, in partnership with County leadership, announced that the County of San Diego would receive 150 tiny homes.   The County first identified two Caltrans properties (Jamacha  and Troy Street) and planning began. 
  
  
• December 2023 – The State changed the parameters of the program and instead offered $10 million in funding to the County. The County then became responsible for the design, permits, and construction of the tiny homes. 
  
  
• Early 2024 – After reviewing site conditions and cost estimates, the County’s Department of General Services determined that the  Jamacha  site was the more viable option because it could fit all 150 sleeping cabins.
  
  
• March 2024 – The Board approved the plan to place 150 sleeping cabins at the  Jamacha  site. 
  
  
• June 2024 – The Board rescinded the approval of the  Jamacha  location and directed staff to study other options in Spring Valley and nearby communities, including a site on Troy Street in Lemon Grove, California. The Board asked staff to return in July with information about feasibility, costs, and a timeline for the Troy Street site. 
  
  
• July 2024 – The Board approved the recommendation to place up to 70 sleeping cabins at the Troy Street site using County funding. After the Board had rescinded the approval of the  Jamacha  location, the State had rescinded its offer to provide $10 million in funding to the County.   
  
  
• July 2025 – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) said it  would not support leasing Caltrans land  that was originally purchased with federal funds. Instead, FHWA directed Caltrans to sell the land under federal rules or lease it at market value. 
  
  
• October 2025 – The Board of Supervisors approved negotiations for the purchase of the Troy Street property, pending approval from FHWA and the California Transportation Commission (CTC). 
  
  
• December 2025 – FHWA approved the sale of the Troy Street property.  The land was appraised at $955,000.

The Troy Street site will accommodate up to 60 sleeping cabins with 1-2 people per cabin.

The Troy Street Sleeping Cabins are considered emergency housing and people can stay up to 6 months while they get necessary services to be able to move into permanent housing options. The average individual stay is estimated to be at 3-6 months. 

The Troy Street site will include a secure perimeter fence and 24/7 security personnel. Please visit the Engage San Diego page for details about these security features. 

If the Troy Street Sleeping Cabins can be built, we would like to have on-site meals for participants and include wraparound services such as case management, housing navigation, and access to behavioral health. We would also like to have employment support services, credit repair, transportation, and other supportive services. 

The Troy Street site will include hygiene facilities (restroom, showers, and laundry), access to internet, community space, and storage amenities.

My office will continue to engage with the community. We want the community to be our eyes and ears once the facility opens and inform us of what is going on.