After spending a night as a volunteer  in a   Nevada City homeless shelter one cold December night, local resident Greg Zaller says he learned a lot about the people who wind up there, and wondered what more could be done to help them get back on their feet.  Zaller decided to use some of  his savings from a successful  career and  buy a house and make it available for homeless people to rent a room without a deposit or credit check.  He says the first attempt at helping the homeless didn’t go so well.
click here to listen to Greg Zaller

Zaller says he learned that well intentioned efforts to shield the downtrodden  from the worst are important, but what they really need is coaching to  get back on their feet, and the neighbors gave him another chance.
click here to listen to Greg Zaller

The CoLiving Network now has one house for women, one for men and a third house for homeless women with children, and Zaller says they are in the process of buying a farm.

click here to listen to Greg Zaller

The farm, a former horse ranch, will open this month and be for men only and Zaller says they are planning to start a  machining  and  an  auto detailing business in the barns.
The CoLiving Network plans to open a fifth house in April and by summer are looking to have a bed count of 48.

Zaller says the CoLiving Network needs financial assistance and furniture; they also need mentors, employers, teachers, organizers and helpers.

For more information or to get involved contact Greg Zaller at gregzaller@gmail.com or Barbara Franklin at 530-615-1014.

Here is a fairly short video where the residents candidly speak about their experience living in a CoLiving Home.