Rue Ferrari Emergency Interim Housing Expansion

As communities across California work to address the growing need for safe, temporary housing, the City of San Jose expanded its Emergency Interim Housing campus to provide additional space, services, and stability for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Delivered through a design-build partnership with Level 10 Construction, the project expanded an active housing campus with more than 30 additional modular housing units and a new community building with shared gathering space and a kitchen for residents. The site is operated in partnership with HomeFirst Services of Santa Clara County and supports the city’s efforts to provide transitional housing while connecting residents to long-term housing resources.

K+W led the site planning and infrastructure design needed to integrate the new housing into the existing facility. The team developed grading, circulation, and utility systems that connect each modular unit to domestic water, sewer, and storm drainage while expanding parking areas and pedestrian pathways throughout the campus. Fire access routes were carefully coordinated to ensure emergency vehicles could reach all buildings within the compact site layout.

Design solutions addressed several site constraints, including limited space between modular buildings and large existing storm drain infrastructure crossing the property. Because the site sits on land owned by the California Department of Transportation adjacent to the highway corridor, the project also required coordination and permitting with Caltrans.

Accessibility and pedestrian-friendly circulation were key priorities. Relatively flat site grading supports accessible pathways throughout the campus, while permeable pavement was incorporated in many of the parking and circulation areas to help manage stormwater runoff.

Completed while the facility remained operational, the expansion required close coordination between the design-build team, city agencies, and site operators. Today, the expanded campus provides additional housing capacity and community-oriented spaces that support dignity, safety, and stability for residents while strengthening San Jose’s response to homelessness.