Lucy Tompkins

And there's less chance of bothering your neighbor if you're having an episode or something in your own home. It gives people a little bit more independence.

And there's less chance of bothering your neighbor if you're having an episode or something in your own home. It gives people a little bit more independence.

But Alan also says that this helps kind of force people to go outside of their homes and interact with their neighbors, literally. If you need to go to the bathroom, you need to do laundry, you want to cook a meal, you have to leave your home and go and be in a shared public space. And there are also events that happen every week, like... For instance, every Thursday.

But Alan also says that this helps kind of force people to go outside of their homes and interact with their neighbors, literally. If you need to go to the bathroom, you need to do laundry, you want to cook a meal, you have to leave your home and go and be in a shared public space. And there are also events that happen every week, like... For instance, every Thursday.

There's the Steiner Ranch dinner.

There's the Steiner Ranch dinner.

I attended one of these dinners with Olivia, and we watched as dozens of people came out of their homes and lined up.

I attended one of these dinners with Olivia, and we watched as dozens of people came out of their homes and lined up.

And then they all sat down at these communal picnic tables with each other and they were chatting and catching each other up.

And then they all sat down at these communal picnic tables with each other and they were chatting and catching each other up.

Some people got extra plates of food to bring back to a friend who, for whatever reason, couldn't leave their home that night.

Some people got extra plates of food to bring back to a friend who, for whatever reason, couldn't leave their home that night.

There was really a sense of taking care of each other.

There was really a sense of taking care of each other.

There are rules, but maybe not the kinds of rules that you'd expect. The first one is you have to pay rent.

There are rules, but maybe not the kinds of rules that you'd expect. The first one is you have to pay rent.

To move into this community, you have to have some kind of income. So for most people, that's government benefits. SSI, disability, people aren't making much, but it's enough to pay the rent, which is usually around $400 a month.

To move into this community, you have to have some kind of income. So for most people, that's government benefits. SSI, disability, people aren't making much, but it's enough to pay the rent, which is usually around $400 a month.

Which Alan sees as creating a sense of ownership and responsibility in the community. There are also some behavioral rules. There's no drinking or drug use allowed out in the open, but...

Which Alan sees as creating a sense of ownership and responsibility in the community. There are also some behavioral rules. There's no drinking or drug use allowed out in the open, but...