San Luis Obispo, DignityMoves, and Partners Break Ground on 3D-Printed Supportive Housing to Address Street Homelessness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Luis Obispo, DignityMoves, and Partners Break Ground on 3D-Printed Supportive Housing to Address Street Homelessness

Welcome Home Village mobilizes public and nonprofit partners to deliver 54 units of supportive housing using innovative 3D-printed construction

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – [June 25, 2025] — The City and County of San Luis Obispo, in partnership with DignityMoves, Azure Printed Homes, and Good Samaritan Shelter, have officially broken ground on Welcome Home Village—a supportive housing community leveraging modular 3D-printed construction to reduce costs and accelerate delivery. Once complete, the project will serve as a bold, replicable model for how communities can respond quickly and humanely to street homelessness.

Welcome Home Village will include 54 new housing units: 14 interim supportive housing units and 40 permanent supportive housing units, all located on a single site. This partnership brings together innovative design, rapid construction, and comprehensive on-site services to support individuals experiencing homelessness on their journey toward stability.

“Today, we’re turning shared concern into action,” said City of San Luis Obispo Mayor Erica A. Stewart. “Welcome Home Village gives our neighbors experiencing homelessness a real path from surviving outdoors to thriving in a safe, supportive home. Projects like these also give our entire community back the shared spaces we all cherish. Thanks to the State’s funding and a united team of City, County, and nonprofit partners, we’re proving that San Luis Obispo can tackle challenges together and make room for everyone to thrive.”

Azure Printed Homes’ innovative 3D printing technology will be utilized in the construction of Welcome Home Village, transforming waste plastic into sustainable housing. Each tiny home shell uses approximately 150,000 recycled plastic bottles, directly addressing both housing shortages and environmental waste. Azure homes are built 70% faster and 30% less expensive than traditional construction methods, making them an ideal solution for urgent housing needs.

“Welcome Home Village represents what’s possible when we pair innovation with urgency,” said Elizabeth Funk, CEO of DignityMoves. “We’re proving that we can move faster, build smarter, and meet people where they are—without sacrificing quality. DignityMoves is proud to be part of this transformational project, a bold step forward and a model for what’s possible across California.”

Interim supportive housing is a game-changing model that has surged in popularity over recent years. Built in months instead of years, interim housing is a fast, cost-effective solution that communities can scale quickly. By filling the critical gap between shelters and permanent housing, it offers a practical path forward and a renewed sense of hope that ending street homelessness is within reach.

“Partnering with DignityMoves aligns with our mission to provide sustainable, high-quality housing at scale,” said Ross Maguire, CEO of Azure Printed Homes. “This project demonstrates how innovative construction methods can address critical housing shortages efficiently and affordably.”

Shared amenities will include laundry facilities, landscaped open space with a pet relief area, and multiple community spaces—such as work-study areas and private offices for meetings with case managers and other service professionals. Services will be provided by Good Samaritan Shelter, a long-standing regional leader in housing and homelessness solutions.

“Good Samaritan Shelter is proud to partner with Welcome Home Village to provide the on-site services that help residents stabilize and move forward,” said Sylvia Barnard, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Shelter. “From case management to housing navigation, we’re bringing a full scope of support services to ensure every individual has the tools to rebuild their life.”

Once open, Welcome Home Village will serve individuals experiencing street homelessness in the Bob Jones Bike Trail encampment area. Case managers and support professionals from Good Samaritan Shelter will help residents navigate services, rebuild their lives, and move toward long-term housing stability.

About DignityMoves

DignityMoves is an innovative nonprofit organization that is reimagining scalable solutions to unsheltered homelessness. In partnership with cities, supportive services agencies, and private stakeholders, DignityMoves rapidly builds cost-effective interim supportive housing communities. Utilizing unused land, relocatable prefabricated units, and emergency building provisions, the organization empowers municipalities to address the homelessness epidemic with appropriate urgency.

DignityMoves is also committed to driving systemic change through impactful policy and advocacy, in collaboration with lawmakers and community leaders to build an ecosystem that supports the growth of interim supportive housing as a powerful tool in ending unsheltered homelessness. Learn more at dignitymoves.org.

About Azure Printed Homes

Azure Printed Homes revolutionizes the construction industry with 3D printing technology that transforms recycled materials into high-quality, energy-efficient housing. Built 70% faster and 30% more cost-effectively than traditional methods, Azure’s product line includes tiny homes, ADUs, and emergency shelters designed to tackle housing shortages worldwide. Learn more at azureprintedhomes.com.

About The City of San Luis Obispo

The City of San Luis Obispo is a California charter city that operates with a directly elected mayor and four at-large council members who establish policy, while the city manager leads day-to-day operations of full-service departments. Guided by adopted Major City Goals that prioritize housing, sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and an exceptional quality of life, the organization delivers responsive, transparent municipal services to residents, businesses, and visitors alike. More information can be found at www.slocity.org.

About the County of San Luis Obispo

The County of San Luis Obispo governs the unincorporated areas of the County and works with the city governments within its boundaries to support a comprehensive effort to foster a community that is safe, healthy, livable, prosperous, and well governed. The County embraces five key core organizational values: Integrity, Collaboration, Professionalism, Accountability and Responsiveness. The Board of Supervisors acts as the County’s legislative body, implementing policies that support these values.

About Good Samaritan Shelter

Good Samaritan Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness and those in recovery across the greater Santa Maria Valley and Central Coast. Founded in 1987, Good Samaritan provides a broad range of services including emergency and transitional shelter, affordable housing, clean and sober living, substance use treatment, outreach, and education. With a commitment to hope, wellness, and wholeness, the organization partners with local agencies to deliver high-quality, wraparound care to those who need it most. Learn more at www.goodsamaritanshelter.org.

Contact:

DignityMoves

Richard Laermer

RLM Public Relations

dignity@rlmpr.com

Azure Printed Homes

Sarah Hardwick

sarah@sarahhardwick.com

City of San Luis Obispo

Daisy Wiberg

Homelessness Response Manager

dwiberg@slocity.org