After spending a night as a volunteer in a Nevada City homeless shelter one cold December night, local resident Greg Zaller says he learned a lot about the people who wind up there, and wondered what more could be done to help them get back on their feet. Zaller decided to use some of his savings from a successful career and buy a house and make it available for homeless people to rent a room without a deposit or credit check. He says the first attempt at helping the homeless didn’t go so well.
click here to listen to Greg Zaller
Zaller says he learned that well intentioned efforts to shield the downtrodden from the worst are important, but what they really need is coaching to get back on their feet, and the neighbors gave him another chance.
click here to listen to Greg Zaller
The CoLiving Network now has one house for women, one for men and a third house for homeless women with children, and Zaller says they are in the process of buying a farm.
click here to listen to Greg Zaller
The farm, a former horse ranch, will open this month and be for men only and Zaller says they are planning to start a machining and an auto detailing business in the barns.
The CoLiving Network plans to open a fifth house in April and by summer are looking to have a bed count of 48.
Zaller says the CoLiving Network needs financial assistance and furniture; they also need mentors, employers, teachers, organizers and helpers.
For more information or to get involved contact Greg Zaller at gregzaller@gmail.com or Barbara Franklin at 530-615-1014.
Here is a fairly short video where the residents candidly speak about their experience living in a CoLiving Home.
Patricia
This sure sounds great, but I'm here for a place to live. Most are here for that and drug or alcohol addiction. I've been here since coming back to CA around September. Always pay my rent, utlilities, and try to keep to myself. I have had a few roommates where we share a bedroom. There is an upstairs and downstairs at the house I am at. It may be a "transitional" house, but it's okay for the men downstairs to use and abuse prescription drugs - their own prescriptions or others.' And, Mr. Z is so supportive and caring, he just moved two women in upstairs where I am, but we're all getting evicted. 3 day notice. Fortunately Barbara is gone - and she never gave me any support, respect or time. Mr. Z did help me when I was falsely accused, but apparently (my rents paid) but there's a shortage and it's several hundred dollars, and the people of the house are supposed to put in for the people who havent paid their rent. I can tell you one shortage is because there were pills exchanged for moving someone in, and well there's about 240 less. Helping people? Not at the Berryman address they aren't.