Tiny home village for unhoused opens in Modesto. Take a tour of Grace Gardens
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- Grace Gardens opens with 12 tiny homes for unhoused residents in Modesto.
- Project received funding through Measure H and state’s Encampment Resolution Fund.
- Residents to receive meals, case management and support for permanent housing.
A new 12-unit “tiny homes” community providing housing to people experiencing homelessness has opened in Modesto.
Grace Gardens, located at 1530 Owens Drive near the Modesto Mission Gospel’s main campus, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The first residents — eight women and four men — are set to move in at the end of August.
“These are not just tiny homes. They are a home, and they’re going to be a home to somebody, and that to somebody is going to be transformative, and it’s going to change their lives,” said Jason Conway, chief executive officer of the Modesto Gospel Mission.
Community members and local officials gathered Aug. 15 to celebrate the opening, with certificates of recognition presented by representatives from Rep. Adam Gray, Assemblymember Juan Alanis and Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil. Stanislaus County Supervisor Mani Grewal also spoke and presented a certificate, as did Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen on behalf of the city, joined by Councilmembers Jeremiah Williams, David Wright and Eric Alvarez.
“We hear a lot of discussion about the problem. It’s nice to see city and an organization rolling their sleeves up and getting the job done,” said the representative of Alvarado-Gil’s office.
Attendees toured the freshly decorated units, each surrounded by potted plants and stocked with baskets of hygiene products.
Grace Gardens was funded in part by Measure H and selected through Modesto’s Emergency Shelter Program. The $527,482 project is a collaboration between the City of Modesto, the Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corporation and the Modesto Gospel Mission, with additional support from California’s $5.7 million Encampment Resolution Fund to sustain operations.
The Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corporation managed the project design, construction and oversight, while the Modesto Gospel Mission will run the site, provide on-site services and oversee property management.
Temporary private housing will be provided for individuals referred by the Mission. Each resident will receive six months of case management and be connected to resources such as income support, public benefits, health care and wellness programs with the goal to help them regain stability, rebuild their lives and find permanent housing.
The site includes a dozen individual units, one of which meets full ADA standards, and a restroom. Residents will also have access to meals, showers and laundry services at the Mission.
Modesto expands housing and shelter options
In Modesto, 1,603 people are experiencing homelessness, part of a total 2,086 unhoused individuals across Stanislaus County, according to the 2025 annual Point-in-Time survey. This year, the city has launched several new housing initiatives to support these residents.
In March, the city opened Dignity Village, a 42-unit tiny home community for adults facing homelessness and challenges such as substance use and mental health disorders. That same month, Modesto received a $5.7 million state grant to help residents transition from encampments into shelters and permanent housing.
June brought the opening of Jenny’s Place, a 54-unit permanent housing complex, and Hannah’s House, a new shelter for unhoused women.
Most recently, the city secured nearly $18 million in Homekey+ funding from the state to transform the El Capitan Motel into 48 units of permanent supportive housing — with half the units reserved for veterans.
“We have already seen success with new facilities such as Jenny’s Place and Dignity Village,” said Zwahlen. “Now we are excited to be able to provide another location to support some of our most vulnerable residents.”
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 2:14 PM.
