KQED's Forum In Search of Home Part 4: Strategies For Building Permanent Homes for the Unhoused
Oct 28, 2025
Patrick Kennedy, owner of Panoramic Interests, shares his innovative Step Up Housing project, showcasing how micro-units can maximize small lots. Carolina Reid, a UC Berkeley professor, explains the vulnerabilities of extremely low-income households and critiques current policies. Matt Franklin of MidPen Housing discusses the complexities of financing permanent supportive housing and emphasizes its positive outcomes. Together, they tackle the Bay Area’s housing crisis, advocating for collaborative and streamlined approaches to build lasting, affordable homes.
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Scale Of Extremely Low Income Households
- Nearly 450,000 Bay Area households are extremely low income, earning about $24,000 a year in a region with a $140,000 median.
- That wage gap makes renting in this market essentially impossible for many essential workers.
Step Up Housing Demonstration Project
- Patrick Kennedy converted a 5,000 sq ft Berkeley lot into Step Up Housing with 39 studios and communal space to show dense low-rise potential.
- The project produced micro-units at roughly $380,000 per door using private financing and competitive open-shop bids.
Resident Story: From Cars To A Home
- Betty Stone slept in cars and motels, cycled through shelters and respite care, then got a call and moved into Step Up Berkeley.
- She says her studio is small but it is the first place she has had of her own.
