That makes the village more than a collection of houses.
It is intended to function as a network.
Why Palmdale?
The first Together California village was developed in Palmdale, a city in northern Los Angeles County's Antelope Valley.
The organization acquired a 4.67-acre property there in 2022. Local government support became a significant part of making the project possible.
Together California says the City of Palmdale approved $1.2 million to support pre-construction costs, while Los Angeles County officials also backed the effort.
The City of Palmdale later described the project as a partnership intended to introduce a new foster-care model to the region. City officials said the property would include 12 homes capable of accommodating sibling groups, along with support facilities for families and young adults.
The location was also significant because Los Angeles County operates one of the largest child-welfare systems in the United States.
The challenges involved in keeping siblings together are not theoretical.
California's statewide assessment for the federal Child and Family Services Review reported that, as of October 1, 2022, 54.6 percent of children with siblings in supervised foster care were placed with all of their siblings. About 74.1 percent were placed with at least some or all siblings. County child-welfare staff cited obstacles including large sibling groups, shortages of appropriate foster homes, differing needs among siblings and the high cost of living.
Those figures also illustrate why broad claims sometimes seen online — such as suggesting virtually all siblings in foster care are separated — should be treated cautiously. Placement rates change by jurisdiction, year and methodology.
The underlying problem, however, is well documented: finding appropriate homes capable of taking multiple brothers and sisters at the same time can be difficult.
Together California was designed specifically to create more of those homes.
Twelve Homes Built Around Sibling Groups
On February 7, 2024, Bale, Esrailian, local officials, child-welfare representatives, donors and community members gathered for the official groundbreaking in Palmdale.
After roughly 16 years of work, the project was finally entering the construction phase.
The plans called for 12 homes.
Each was designed to accommodate as many as six siblings under the care of a full-time foster parent, according to Together California.
The physical design was deliberate.
Rather than building a large institutional residence where many children would sleep in one centralized facility, the organization wanted children to experience something closer to an ordinary home environment.
They would live in individual residences.
They would have kitchens, bedrooms and everyday household routines.
Outside those homes, however, they would be surrounded by other caregivers, children and support professionals who understood foster care.
The village would therefore try to combine two things that can sometimes be difficult to provide simultaneously: the intimacy of a family home and the resources of a larger support system.
Architecture firm AC Martin was brought in to design the project. Its description of the development lists 12 townhome units along with two studio units that can support young adults transitioning from foster care.
Plans also included recreational areas and community facilities.
Together California says garden, sports and recreation spaces were created to encourage children and families to interact, play and develop relationships.
Those features may seem secondary compared with housing, but they reflect the project's wider ambition.
The people behind Together California did not want simply to prevent sibling separation.
They wanted to create stability.