# Helping Inmates While Addressing the Housing Shortage | Eric Johnsen | TEDxSF State

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S0MnjLmuv0
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/2S0MnjLmuv0
Generated: 2025-12-15T17:44:53.41+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Eric Johnsen proposes a four-faceted solution (R3) to address the housing shortage and homelessness crisis by utilizing modular housing, church partnerships, construction training for formerly incarcerated individuals, and establishing mini-manufacturing plants.

**Key Points:**
- Prior incarcerated individuals constitute about 20% of the homeless population, and retaining them in prison costs taxpayers $110K/year.
- Without housing and employment, 65% of formerly incarcerated individuals experience recidivism within two to three years.
- Johnsen's R3 solution involves four components: Modular Housing (lower cost, quicker to market), Church Partnerships (no land costs, ministry extension), Construction Training (jobs in low-barrier employment areas), and Mini Manufacturing Plants (training and housing production).
- Modular housing is less expensive and quicker to market than traditional site-built housing, costing around $20/sq ft versus $600/sq ft for a 600 sq ft unit in Monterey County.
- The construction trades offer viable career paths for people leaving incarceration, with wages starting around $17-$30 per hour for entry-level positions.
- The organization partners with faith communities to provide housing and vocational training, aiming to restore dignity and hope to the unloved and disconnected.

![Screenshot at 00:08: Eric Johnsen begins his presentation at TEDxSF State with his title slide outlining the topic: "Homelessness and Housing: Are Realistic Solutions?"](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-00-08.png)

**Context:** Eric Johnsen, CEO of R3, presents a solution to the intertwined crises of housing shortages and homelessness, referencing his experience meeting with the Mayor of Salinas, California. He frames the problem by highlighting the high rates of recidivism among formerly incarcerated individuals who lack stable housing and employment, noting that the cost to keep someone in prison is significantly higher than providing housing.

## Detailed Analysis

Eric Johnsen details the intersection of homelessness and the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals, noting that this population makes up about 20% of the homeless population nationally. He states that retaining an individual in prison costs $110K per year, and 65% of those released without housing and employment return to incarceration within two to three years. He contrasts this with the high cost of housing, showing data that owning a median home in California costs between $125K and $215K income annually. Johnsen then introduces the R3 (Rehabilitation, Restoration, Respite) Four-Faceted Solution designed to address these issues simultaneously. This solution includes Modular Housing, which is lower cost and quicker to market than traditional construction, with development costs around $20 per net rentable square foot in the prison setting compared to $600+ in California. The second facet is Church Partnerships, leveraging available land from faith communities to eliminate land costs. The third facet involves Construction Training, offering low-barrier employment and job skills (electrician, plumbing, drywall, painting) to formerly incarcerated individuals, creating a pathway to careers in the construction trades, which are shown to have high earning potential even with minimal formal education. The final facet is Mini Manufacturing Plants to train and produce housing units. Johnsen emphasizes that this integrated approach—housing, employment, and spiritual support—is critical for restoring dignity and successfully reintegrating people back into their communities.

### Introduction & Problem Scope

- Johnsen met with the Mayor of Salinas, California, to discuss housing and homelessness; notes that prior incarcerated individuals make up about 20% of the homeless population and face 65% recidivism without housing/employment.

### The Cost of Inaction

- It costs $110K/year to retain someone in prison, while housing costs in the community are astronomical (e.g., $650K home requires $125K-$215K income).

### R3 - Four-Faceted Solution

- The solution has four components: Modular Housing (Lower Cost, Quicker to Market), Church Partnerships (No land costs, Ministry extension), Construction Training (Jobs in low barrier employment area), and Mini Manufacturing Plants (Training, housing production).

### Modular Housing Benefits

- Modular units are cheaper and faster to build ($20/sq ft in prison vs. $600+/sq ft site-built in CA) and provide vocational training grounds for inmates.

### Construction Career Paths

- The construction industry offers viable pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals, including jobs requiring only a full certificate with hourly wages around $27/hr or more.

### Partnership & Mission

- Success relies on partnering with faith communities who provide land and support, integrating housing and employment with spiritual restoration.

![Screenshot at 00:08: Title slide for Eric Johnsen's TEDxSF State talk on "Homelessness and Housing: Are Realistic Solutions?"](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-00-08.png)
![Screenshot at 01:20: Slide detailing statistics on unhoused individuals nationally, including the 20% share from prior incarceration and the rising trend of unhoused homelessness shown on the graph.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-01-20.png)
![Screenshot at 02:33: Slide comparing the difficulty of buying a home in California versus the US, showing median values adjusted to 2022 dollars, illustrating high housing costs.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-02-33.png)
![Screenshot at 05:00: Slide detailing the R3 \(Rehabilitation, Restoration, Respite\) Four-Faceted Solution: Modular Housing, Church Partnerships, Construction Training, and Mini Manufacturing Plants.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-05-00.png)
![Screenshot at 10:29: Slide showing Construction & Skilled Labor Career Paths with corresponding educational requirements and salary ranges.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/2S0MnjLmuv0/00-10-29.png)