Creating a Stable Start
and a place to stay – today, tonight and tomorrow
Across the country a growing number of cities have created villages of small prefab houses to rapidly house individuals and families without housing.
Our Mission
To provide immediate residence and onsite or referral services to those who are unhoused in order to bridge the current economic and social gaps separating them from safe and dignified living.
“The minimum requirement for a dream is a safe place to lay your head.”
— OluTimehin Adegbeye
A Solvable Injustice:
Since 2017 homelessness has been rising in the US and recently it was further worsened by the upheaval resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple government programs have been created and ramped up to deal with the problem but have not been able to address the core issue: not enough immediately available housing.
Emergency shelters have better air conditioning than the sidewalk but lack dignity and clients experience theft and assault and risk infection in communal shelters.
Section 8 waiting lists introduce priority and governmental advocacy for disadvantaged renters but they do not increase the number of homes.
The pandemic-related disruption in normal production of construction supplies is an additional obstacle to increasing new housing construction.
The Homing Project
Across the country a growing number of cities have been creating villages of VERY tiny prefab houses (64 or 100 sq ft) to rapidly house homeless individuals and families.
In addition to rapid housing, by clustering homeless people with conditions such as mental illness and addiction, appropriate services can be efficiently provided for these conditions as well as job training and placement.
These very tiny houses (64 or 100 square feet) are each easily assembled in less than an hour.
They have heating, cooling, excellent insulation, 1-2 beds in single units, windows, a self-contained solar energy system, and a secure lock.
Dining, laundry, and bathrooms are shared facilities in order to simplify utility installation and to provide opportunities for social interaction. The community is enclosed.
If not needed, the houses can be disassembled and flat-packed for moving or storage.
Meet the Team
J Kristin Olson-Garewal MD
CO-FOUNDER
Co-Founder, Board Member, and CEO. Dr. Olson-Garewal retired from Medicine after a 46-year career primarily as a Medical Director of health plans and programs including State Medical Director for AHCCCS (Arizona’s experimental Medicaid Program) and University Medical Center’s Managed Care Program. While on the faculty of the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine, she was consultant to the Yaqui Nation, starting an innovative life-style diabetes program which to this day continues to result in ongoing regular physical activity starting in childhood and decreased community diabetes incidence.
Thanks to a grant from The Greenwall Foundation, from 2000-2002 Dr. Olson-Garewal studied medical bioethics with Allen Buchanan, a philosophical ethicist now at Duke University. During that time she chaired a panel discussion at a World Health Organization ethics conference in England and later convened a two-day conference of First Nation healers and leaders along with Federal government health program heads in the United States. Both events addressed the question: “Should Government Pay for Traditional Indigenous medicine?”
The final years of her medical practice were five years at an Arizona State men’s prison. She had become interested in prison healthcare after being part of a team doing a court-ordered medical audit at Arizona’s main State prison.
She has volunteered at free clinics in Tucson, Guatemala, Mexico, Kentucky and Tennessee (the US locations were with Remote Area Medicine, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee). She received her BA and MD degrees through Boston University’s Honors Six Year Med Program.
Raj Garewal
CO-FOUNDER
In response to concern about the growing number of unsheltered Tucsonans, Mr. Garewal researched solutions on the internet. The villages of prefabricated individual shelters being used in Southern California stood out as the most rapid solution. After meeting with a number of non-profits and government agencies, he found that no entity was doing anything along those lines, and none were interested in starting. So he founded The Homing Project after persuading his physician-mother to do the grant applications. Mr. Garewal has worked with multiple programs for the unhoused and recovery communities. He had been most involved as a full-time volunteer at the Saint Joseph Homeless Center in Santa Monica, CA. He eventually turned down The Center’s job offer as a case manager in order to finish his undergraduate degree. Mr. Garewal received his BA in English from Loyola Marymount University and completed additional studies in Creative Writing at Warwick University, England. He is currently an insurance agent while applying to Law School.
Susan Cordts
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER and BOARD SECRETARY
Founding Board Member and Board Secretary. Ms. Cordts is president and CEO of Catalytic Health Partners, which she founded in 2014 as one means to serve homeless individuals for whom she has a long record of effective advocacy. Prior to starting Catalytic Health Partners, Ms. Cordts participated in healthcare industry investments and as an advisor to multiple growth companies. She was the CEO of ATi, a pioneering company at the forefront of analytics and artificial intelligence across a diverse client portfolio in multiple industries. She was also CEO and Managing Director of Universal Robot Systems and Vice President of United Regional Health Care’s Cardiology Program. Ms. Cordts has extensive international business experience and more than 40 years healthcare senior management experience.
She frequently speaks at local and national events. Her deep commitment to community involves volunteering, organizing and sponsoring community impact programs. Ms. Cordts has been recognized for some of her work through numerous awards, including: 2010 Greater Phoenix Athena Private Sector Recipient, 2018 Athena Valley of the Sun Hail Award for Fostering Collaboration, 2019 Arizona Health Leaders of the Year, 2019 Phoenix Business Journal Outstanding Women in Business, 2019 Woman of Inspiration nationally by Women Business Leaders of the US Healthcare Industry Foundation, 2022 Titan 100. She received her AD in Nursing, a BA in Marketing from Midwestern State University, and a master’s in international management (MIM) from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management.
Richard Spaulding
BOARD MEMBER and PROCUREMENT MANAGER
Mr. Spaulding recently retired from El Rio Health Centers after 44 years overseeing procurement and project management as El Rio ballooned from the single original site to an additional 16 new medical centers throughout Tucson. He was particularly interested in the center that was developed for unhoused patients’ unique needs such as a kennel for pets that could not be left in extreme hot weather during appointments. He graduated with Baccalaureate degrees in Anthropology and Art History from the University of Arizona.
Yolanda Sethi, BA, MSW
BOARD MEMBER and VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Ms. Sethi for 32 years worked as a Clinical Social Worker and Bilingual Educator. She began her career as a Clinical Social Worker at La Frontera Center in South Tucson. Then she moved to Mission View and Ochoa Elementary Schools in South Tucson. At first working as a Social Worker, she subsequently acquired formal credentials in order to be a bilingual teacher and curriculum specialist at Ochoa Elementary School in South Tucson where she was until her retirement in 2013.
Ms. Sethi has supported many local organizations and has volunteered at Tu Nidito Children’s grief support program, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Catholic Relief Services’ Casa Alitas, and the Ronald McDonald House. Since becoming The Homing Project’s Volunteer Coordinator, Ms. Sethi has increased its volunteer cadre from 35 people interested in volunteering to over a hundred with monthly meetings, interest-oriented subcommittees, and a newsletter.
She has Baccalaureate Degrees in Spanish and Mexican American Studies from Loyola-Marymount University, a Master’s Degree in Social Work from UCLA, and a Post Baccalaureate Degree in Bilingual Education from the University of Arizona.
Jennifer Leinhos
BOARD MEMBER and BOOKKEEPER
For 36 years Ms. Leinhos has been a bookkeeper, initially for the Gaslight Theater group of companies, then for the Diocese of Tucson, starting with project work on several parishes and eventually becoming the Senior Staff Accountant for the Diocese. Jennifer then joined a local CPA firm as a bookkeeper for a large list of clients, working her way up to Accounting Services Supervisor. In 2006 she formed her own company, which had six employees serving hundreds of clients by the time she retired in 2019. She is a certified QuickBooks Consultant, a former member and Treasurer of American Society of Women Accountants, and a member for fifteen years of American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. She has held many volunteer positions with several community organizations including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for which she was Treasurer; volunteer for Casa de los Ninos ; occasional Foster Mom for Lifeline Oro Valley Animal Rescue; volunteer bookkeeper with Hope Animal Shelter; and volunteer with Tucson Center for Women and Children.
Fernando Cardenas
BOARD MEMBER
Fernando has been a long time worker in the psychiatric health field who started working with less fortunate youth in the late 80’s at the Arizona Children’s Home. He has worked with all ages from children to the geriatric psych patients. He is currently semi retired and is still working as a psychiatric nurse in the addictions field focused on fentanyl addiction and recovery. He has been in recovery from substance and alcohol abuse for well over 3 decades and offers his knowledge to assist in the rehabilitation process for the less fortunate.
Kristin Davis
BOARD MEMBER
Since retiring in 2024 from the United Way as a grant writer, Kristin has been writing grants for The Homing Project. However, her primary career was more than 26 years in Risk Management in the banking industry. Most recently she served as a consultant to banks, on Risk Management issues and strategic marketing for 5 years. She was the Risk Manager and Senior Vice President for a major New York City bank for 15 years, before which a Vice President at a New Jersey Savings and Loan for three years. Prior to that, for four years, she was an underwriter for Chubb’s Department of Financial Institutions. Before becoming an underwriter, she lived in Paris, London and Brussels for seven years and worked at the Human Relations Institute as their Program and Public Relations Director in Brussels for two years. She began her career working as a social worker for the government for three years in CA and in NJ.
Born in Palo Alto, CA, Kristin graduated from the University of Redlands with a double major in English and History, and went straight into social work before her experience in Europe. Throughout her adult life, she has served on 11 Board of Directors, both corporate and non profit. During her Risk Management career she conducted more than 20 presentations to the banking world and insurance industry, and portrayed her expertise on the need to change the precepts and, thereby, introduced new innovations for Risk Management.
Nanci J. Priest, AM, MATS, LCSW
BOARD MEMBER
Ms. Priest is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who joined Family Service Center in 2014. In 1973 she graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University. In 1985 she earned a Master of Clinical Social Work degree from The University of Chicago – School of Social Service Administration. In 1990 she earned a Master of Theological Studies from McCormick Theological Seminary. In 2012 she became a Mental Health Fellow of The American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
For 40 years Ms. Priest has enjoyed practicing in a variety of settings with diverse populations and continues to see clients virtually on a weekly basis. She is fortunate to winter in Tucson and actively participate as a Board Member of The Homing Project and otherwise lives the rest of the year in the North Shore suburbs of Chicago.
Rev. Rodney Quainton, B.A., M.B.A., MDiv
BOARD MEMBER
Rod was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. Educated at Yale University with a B.A. in Economics (1962); The Harvard Business School with an M.B.A. (1970); Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest with an M.Div. (1988). Served 4 years in the US Navy achieving rank of Lieutenant. He worked for The First National Bank of Chicago as a commercial banker in Chicago, Tokyo, New York City and Houston, TX where he was regional manager. After a career switch he has served churches in Houston, TX, FT Lauderdale, FL, Abilene, TX, Birmingham, MI and is presently Assisting Priest at Christ Church Winnetka, IL.
Throughout his career he has served on multiple boards and is currently serving not only on The Homing Project Board but also the Board of Jackalope Theatre company in Chicago and The Family Service Center of Glenview,IL, a mental health agency. He also is on the Steering Committee of the Foot Hills Forum in Tucson.
Rod is an avid reader, baseball fan, theater goer, snow bird from Chicago. He has widely traveled in Asia, Europe and lead a church mission trip to Zambia in 2009 plus visiting Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.
Mark Leinhos
BOARD MEMBER and CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Mark owns and operates Professional Computer Solutions of Arizona, providing outsourced IT services and support for small businesses in and around Tucson. He has over 26 years of highly varied experience working in the information technology sector. He has been Chief Technology Officer for Beyond Bookkeeping for 10 years, and for Adelante, a Tucson software developer for 2 years. Mark has been Senior Engineer for a Tucson IT service provider and has filled multiple roles from technician to management at a Microsoft support call center for six years. Mark completed two years at Pima Community College.