Long Beach, California, has officially abandoned its ambitious tiny homes project aimed at housing the homeless, with the city now attempting to sell the modular units after significant taxpayer expenditure and a failure to secure a viable location. According to a social media post by Kevin Dalton, the city initially spent $2 million on 12 "mini-shelters" and an additional $700,000 attempting to identify a suitable site, alongside $146,000 for project salaries.The city's decision follows years of planning and an investment totaling approximately $2.9 million in the initiative. Long Beach had acquired 33 prefabricated tiny homes in February 2023, funded in part by a $5.6 million state Homekey grant awarded in 2022. The project was conceived as an innovative solution to the city's homelessness crisis, providing interim housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.Despite multiple attempts to find a suitable location, including a site at the Multi-Service Center and later near Willow Springs Park, the city faced persistent challenges. Initial plans were disrupted by a Port of Long Beach rail project, and subsequent locations were deemed unfeasible due to high utility installation costs. This marks the first instance a city has been unable to complete an awarded project under the state's Homekey program.The Long Beach City Council recently voted to return the $5.6 million state grant, acknowledging the inability to establish the planned 33-unit campus. The city hopes to recoup some of its investment by selling the unused tiny homes, which have been in storage. Officials are also exploring alternative uses for the units, including potentially housing homeless students at Long Beach City College.While the tiny homes project has been halted, Long Beach continues to address homelessness through other initiatives, including the acquisition and conversion of motels into temporary housing and the development of new affordable housing units. The city's 2023 Point-in-Time Count indicated ongoing challenges, with a slight increase in unsheltered individuals. The abandonment of the tiny homes project underscores the complexities and financial hurdles cities face in implementing large-scale housing solutions for vulnerable populations.