‘Safe Camp’ at homeless campus open for new residents

“ModPods” at the Nevada Cares Campus have been moved into the former baseball field – the “Governor’s Bowl” – and 45 residents are now living in the tiny homes.

The pods moved from outside of the bowl in March and are now in the area of the former field, comprising the “Safe Camp” area of the campus. The Safe Camp started with tents that were damaged in the wind and weather, and the county last year began having people live in the pods.

Washoe County officials gave a tour of the area last week to members of the news media. The site had been shared with the Nevada Department of Transportation, which had been using the area for staging for freeway construction equipment.

But dog runs, fire pits and a community building are all brand new. There is room for five more residents to fill up all 50 pods.

Safe Camp resident Helene Oliver said the Safe Camp and ModPods have been a huge motivation to stop sleeping on the streets.

“Now that I’m here at ModPods, it’s just wonderful,” she told This Is Reno. Oliver said the Downtown Reno Ambassadors referred her to the Safe Camp. She said she was hesitant to go to the main tent structure at the Cares Campus. The ModPods, though, give her more privacy and the opportunity to find a job.