The Sept. 2 article mentions “Portland considers providing tiny houses for homeless folks.” These 25 tiny houses, built by private parties, will be rented to the city’s homeless. I propose a similar, but more comprehensive project for the Vancouver-Clark County area — one that’s cheaper, aesthetically more pleasing and likely to have a better outcome for the homeless.
To start, a sponsoring agency would acquire property, select several homeless clients and solicit input from support groups. With mentoring, these homeless would build the small houses and upon completion they would work on installing play areas, gardens and perhaps a small orchid — i.e. creating a mini eco-village. Upon meeting long-term obligations (mortgage payments, sweat equity, or?), they would own their houses. The land would be retained by the sponsoring agency, perhaps in time turned over to a homeowners’ association.
The benefits to the homeless clients would be affordable housing, a built-in supportive community and additional on-site employment.
The benefits to society would be reduced need for support services, reduced construction costs, and a housing project built by and for the homeless, i.e. earned, not given, that would garner favorable media coverage, and attract volunteers and funding.
