LEMON GROVE — Construction of 60 tiny homes for unhoused residents is moving forward in the unincorporated Lemon Grove area after the California Transportation Commission last week approved the sale of a Caltrans-owned parcel just over one acre in size.

Each cabin will include a bed, a desk, air conditioning, and heating, according to Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow. The site will also include portable showers designed for individual units, a community kitchen, and a community center. The county estimates it will cost $11.1 million to build the project and approximately $3.4 million annually for social services, maintenance, and upkeep.

Mayor Snow said the project is designed to serve as transitional housing, giving people experiencing homelessness a stable place to stay while they search for permanent housing. She noted that roughly one-third of the city's last point-in-time count were residents over age 60.

"That is an incredible problem. These are people on fixed incomes who just can't afford how much it costs to live in San Diego," Snow said.

The project has drawn mixed reactions from neighbors. Some residents near the site expressed concern about who would be housed there and the potential effects on the neighborhood, while others said they support the effort as long as it is managed responsibly and with security.

The path to approval shifted after the new federal administration required counties to purchase rather than lease state-owned land. Mayor Snow said prior to this project, the city lacked the resources to address homelessness with permanent housing and wrap-around services, and characterized the project as a significant step forward for community safety.

Construction is expected to begin in the coming months.