Village Of Tiny Homes Constructed For Homeless Veterans

Jun 02, 2020 by apost team

Veterans do a lot for their countries, including putting their lives on the line to protect their fellow citizens. However, no one seems to care how they live after serving. On October 28, homeless veterans received good news. A village of tiny homes was unveiled in Calgary City in Alberta, Canada, and the homeless veterans can call it home.

The Homes for Heroes Foundation, an organization that provides homes for the homeless Canadian Veterans to help them get back to their healthy life, started this project last year. The President of Homes for Heroes Foundation, Dave Howard, said that they had a meeting with more than 200 people, according to Business Insider. They wanted to find out which programs would interest the veterans most.

According to the Foundation’s President, the project’s goal was to help the veterans get a home and a job. That would help them get back on their feet and get a job. Eventually, they would move out and then come back to mentor the next group of veterans. However, veterans can stay in the Village as long as they want. While some veterans can stay for 14 months, others can remain for up to three years, Business Insider reports. Their program determines the stay.

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In addition to the 15 tiny homes, there is a resource center, family suites, counselor’s office and community garden. The residents of the Village have special programs that are customized for their needs. According to Howard, the program offers veterans a myriad of services, including case management, mentoring and counseling. An onsite counselor operates works in the Village from 9 to 5. The Mustard Seed Charity operates health and wellness center in downtown Calgary, which is fully accessible to the village residents.

Business Insider reports that the tiny homes were constructed by ATCO and measure 275 square feet. ATCO is a global provider of housing, transportation, infrastructure and integrated energy solutions based in Calgary. According to Howard, the houses also have a living area furnished with a Murphy bed and sofa. Additionally, each home comes with a breakfast bar, full bathroom, workstation and full kitchen ATCO made the houses in their warehouse before they were brought on the site. The tenants moved in and filled all the 15 homes on November 1, 2019.

Howard stated that the organization offers houses to individuals they believe will succeed in the program. All interested veterans have to fill out an application and needs analysis. Besides, the veterans pay $600 monthly rent. The plans have reservations for veterans who need time and help to access funds. They are exempted from paying rent until they have access to funding. The good news is the money caters for all expenses, including medical, education, employment and counseling. The cost is much lower than $1,576, which is the cost of renting a one-bedroom home in Calgary, according to Business Insider.

Plans are underway to construct similar villages across Canada. Currently, Home for Heroes Foundation is building a second tiny home village in Edmonton. The small home project is growing globally. Some people have scaled-down to small homes to save money. Amazon has even invested a tiny kit worth $7000 that can be erected in eight hours, as Business Insider details.

A similar project is known as Community First Village in Austin, Texas, dubbed Community first Village. The tiny home village project is estimated to be worth $18 million and provides shelter for 180 homeless residents in Austin. The project incorporates employment opportunities and onsite programs for the residents.

Unlike the Village in Alberta, Canada, the Community First Village in Austin is built on a 51-acre piece of land and provides affordable housing for formerly homeless people. Also, it has an inn that welcomes guests to experience the life of the formerly homeless people.

What do you think of this project? Let us know and pass this inventive, heartwarming idea on to members in your community.