Posted: September 24, 2002 at 7:22 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A candidate for San Francisco Mayor is diving head first into one of the most hotly debated issues in town.
He is proposing to solve some of the city's homeless problems by building houses.
On a quiet street in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood, among traditional homes of 1,500 or 2,000 square feet, is a pretty little box with an American flag and a white picket fence that its builder calls 'ShelterOne': it's a complete home in just 100 square feet.
And just how small is 100 square feet? Well, it would fit inside a small storage locker. All of it.
James Reid is the builder, and a past and future candidate for mayor.
"People would sleep here, they'd take a shower here, they'd cook their meal here and then they'd go out in the world and have a life," Jim says. "I mean, I sort of see this as a lifeboat for people that are poor and don't have housing."
And in fact, there is much of the lifeboat about the inside. Everything is compact, from the kitchen with its hot plate, microwave and refrigerator to the bathroom.
It has a full shower with a bathtub and a sink and a toilet, all in a space not much bigger than an airplane lavatory.
There is a bunk bed, with an easy chair and a desk beneath it. There is a closet with a combination washer and dryer.
There is even, in this smallest and snuggest house in San Francisco, a view of the city. You could call it a womb with a view.
Reid sees his house as a small but important part of the solution to San Francisco's chronic homeless problem.
"I actually want to start with this and find a clean and sober former homeless person and have them adopt my block and take responsibility for cleaning up litter, painting out grafitti, planting and watering trees in exchange for living in this wonderful house," Jim says.
Social worker Leslie Laughlin has signed on to Reid's campaign.