California homeless veterans move into apartment built from recycled shipping containers

The Potter’s Lane apartment complex, located in Middle City, Calif., houses homeless veterans. The complex is composed of recycled shipping containers. (Elizabeth Duong, community outreach coordinator, American Family Housing)

An apartment complex built entirely of recycled shipping containers in California is providing shelter for homeless veterans.

Potter's Lane, located in Midway City, Calif., was built by the American Family Housing, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and assistance to those in need, according to its website.

Potter's Lane is the first multi-family structure to be built entirely from recovered shipping containers – but it will not be the last. In November, Los Angeles residents voted and approved a $1.2 billion bond to construct shelters for the homeless, according to the Los Angeles Times. There are plans to build more sustainable complexes.

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The $1,200 per month rent is largely subsidized, Steven Forry, American Family Housing’s chief development officer, told CBS News.

Sixteen studio apartments were built from 48 recycled shipping containers. The complex, which took six months to complete, was purposely made small so the residents can connect with one another.

“When you’re dealing with people who have been homeless and you warehouse them in 300 units, you are not creating a safety net for people, you are not creating a human connection with people,” Forry said. “The concept here is called housing first. Find a home for them like we found here and then you surround them with social services.”

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Marine veteran Dale Dollar has been living on the street for 14 years. He now lives at Potter's Lane along with 15 others, most of whom served their country, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s quite a place. You know you come in when you’ve been sleeping in a tent on the dirt and rocks for years and have to fight to keep your stuff and you end up in a place as beautiful as this?” Dollar said. “Oh, I’ve been blessed more than I should have been. It’s wonderful.”