The city of Lansing is purchasing 50 modular housing units to use as transitional housing for unhoused community members.
City Council voted unanimously to approve the $645,000 purchase Monday night.
The small living spaces, known as pods, include a bed, bathroom and limited storage.
City officials say the pods would usually cost about twice as much, but they were able to buy them at a cheaper rate after Kalamazoo decided not to move forward with setting up a pod community.
Joe McDonald is Lansing’s housing ombudsman. He says the pods would help the city provide transitional housing for members of the groups least likely to seek shelter, including pet owners and members of the LGBTQ community.
“This is a great investment in our people, for our homeless brothers and sisters, to help them get to the next step in their lives in a humane, dignified manner,” McDonald said.
He says the pods would include 24/7 security, as well as various wraparound services, like counseling, employment training and housing navigation. Operation of the pods is projected to cost the city about $750,000 annually.
He added that the pods could be broken down and stored if they are no longer needed for unhoused community members. They could then be set back up in the event of a natural disaster.
A site for the pods has not been selected. Mayor Andy Schor says the city is exploring as many as 20 options, with more still being added to the list as people reach out with ideas.
He says Stabenow Park and Comstock Park have the largest bathrooms and facilities that could most easily be turned into showers, but the city is also looking at private land and partnerships with churches or hospitals.
The city hopes to break ground on the community by March 2026, following a licensing process that could take about nine months.
