OAKLAND — A tiny homes project and a housing program for youth, both aimed at easing a little of the city’s homelessness crisis, got the go-ahead Tuesday from the City Council.

Related Articles Teacher disciplined after defending students’ tiny house The council approved an $80,000 agreement with Laney College to design and produce two prototype tiny homes using technology so they could be mass-produced.

The city also will spend a $1 million grant on a rapid rehousing program for homeless youth.

In 2015, there were 253 homeless Oakland youths age 18 to 24, according to a survey. Of those, 49 were on the streets every night, the survey found.

The two measures were forwarded to the full council by its Life Enrichment Committee at its Feb. 14 meeting.

Councilman Abel Guillen, a committee member, touted the tiny homes proposal at the meeting by describing how a team of students from Laney’s carpentry department beat out teams from Stanford University and UC Berkeley in a tiny home design competition in October sponsored by the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District.

In that contest, where judging was based on factors such as architectural design, livability, affordability, energy efficiency and portability, Laney took home a $4,000 prize. The college is selling that home, which was built atop trailer wheels, for $55,000.

“It’s a little bit complicated, but nothing worth the effort is ever easy,” Guillen said of the ultimate disposition of such homes.

“The biggest challenge has been the question of ‘Where do we put these?’ ”

One answer might be on the campus itself, given that 15 percent of community college students are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, Guillen said. Property owners with vacant lots also have contacted his office, expressing a willingness to provide space, he said.

Unlike some of the tiny homes that are popping up in West Oakland and communities from Seattle to Los Angeles and beyond, Laney’s homes have plumbing, kitchens and heating systems and are easily moved.

The rapid rehousing money would be divided among three nonprofits that are part of a new North County Homeless Youth Rapid Rehousing Program, administered by Covenant House, the East Oakland Community Project and First Place for Youth.

Covenant House’s share of the funds is almost half — $531,546 — with the other two organizations allocated $240,034 and $266,126, respectively.

The money would provide 60 young people with housing subsidies and support services through the end of the year.

From Aug. 1, 2015, to July 31 last year, the same three groups served 70 youth households, including their 12 children. Seventy-six percent of them moved on to permanent housing, and 98 percent increased or maintained their income at the program’s conclusion, the council proposal noted.

“This is new funding that the city of Oakland has obtained, specific funding for youth rapid rehousing. This will be the first youth-specific rapid rehousing grant in Alameda County and is very much aligned with HUD’s priority of moving away from transitional housing and towards permanent housing,” Lara Tannenbaum of the Human Services Department told the committee.

“Good job,” Fruitvale’s Councilman Noel Gallo said. The committee quickly endorsed the measure.

Contact Mark Hedin at 510-293-2452, 408-759-2132 or mhedin@bayareanewsgroup.com.