Assembled in minutes, a new type of metal cabin could quickly house hundreds of homeless people in Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg said Wednesday.

Pallet Shelter, a social purpose company based in Washington State, makes the cabins in a shop in Everett, WA. Councilmember Steve Hansen arranged for a demonstration Wednesday in the breezeway between the old and new City Hall buildings.

A 100-foot unit assembled by a Pallet crew in minutes can sleep up to six in drop-down bunk beds. Insulation between the walls keeps the cabin-style shelters warm in winter and cool in summer. Bathrooms and kitchens aren’t included. So far, the cabins are being deployed in Washington as part of communities with central kitchens and bathrooms.

The shelters cost $5,000 to $7,000 based on size and level of insulation. That cost doesn’t include the budget for the services, food service and restrooms needed to serve residents.

Mayor Steinberg said the Pallet homes could be an important new component of the city’s ongoing effort to house thousands of people currently living on the street. So far, that effort has focused primarily on erecting large “Sprung Shelters” that can house 100 or more people. The cabins can be erected more quickly and don’t require that the ground be paved.