Austin Real Estate News: Neighborhood of Tiny Dwellings Rents Micro Homes to Chronically Homeless
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(Photo: KUT)
The concept behind the Community First Village is revolutionary — rent a tiny home to someone who needs a reason to hold down a job for an affordable rate, and help the homeless turn their lives around.
The fact that it’s adorable doesn’t hurt, either.
Austin, home of the food truck trailer parks and high-priced housing, has made something that Alamo Drafthouse CEO Tim League calls, “the very first ‘yes, in my backyard’ project!’” according to this story from KUT:
Mobile Loaves and Fishes’ Alan Graham, the man behind the project, says one reason many in the nearby community are on board is because there will also be a bed and breakfast in the village and an Alamo Drafthouse outdoor movie theater.
“We haven’t converted everybody, but when people come out here they go, ‘Oh!’ They see a chapel; they see medical and vocational services on site, and they learn that residents will not live there for free; they’ll pay a monthly rent.”
Graham adds that if 200 chronically homeless people get back on their feet, that could save Central Texas taxpayers about $10 million a year.
The village covers about 27 acres and features adorable micro homes like those on trendy blogs and websites, designed and built by University of Texas architecture students. Rent runs around $200 a month for some of the homes, which includes access to a community garden and social services. Mobile Loaves and Fishes is still in the middle of a fundraising campaign for the project, with a goal of $6 million. Find out more about the project here.
Considering the growing homeless population in Dallas, do you think there’s a space for this concept here? Where would you put a development like this? And if this was planned for your neighborhood, would you be a NIMBY or a YIMBY?
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This is an awesome idea! I have always wanted to establish something like this to help single parents. The community retirees could help teach the younger residents how to interview and look for a job, which would tap some valuable resources. They could also help with daycare and teaching life skills to the younger residents. I love the idea of a community garden! This is something that is greatly needed here and saving our tax dollars is like the icing on the cake! How could we make this happen in or near Dallas?
Email me and let's talk!
This is an awesome idea! I have always wanted to establish something like this to help single parents. The community retirees could help teach the younger residents how to interview and look for a job, which would tap some valuable resources. They could also help with daycare and teaching life skills to the younger residents. I love the idea of a community garden! This is something that is greatly needed here and saving our tax dollars is like the icing on the cake! How could we make this happen in or near Dallas?
Email me and let's talk!
What a great concept!
What a great concept!
So many of the older low or no income homes, are slowly being replaced with pretty townhouses and some great handicapped accessible homes. They are pretty, and something to take pride in. Many of the owners or renters never learned how to take care of a home, or even have pride in a nice place to live.
I think though, to have people teach them some skills in a meaning-full way, even cutting the grass and taking care of the plants and flowers along the side would help. Those people might need help in money management, and other tasks that some of us take for granted…or learned so long ago we've forgotten.
The house shown done in blue with all the cute porch decor and flowers, is great. I would have loved a starter home such as that. Some just need a little help along the way. This a good idea and with the help of those older who have some of the skills, would make friends, but also the newer folks feel a better relationship with the town folks. I find this to be a wonderful idea.
So many of the older low or no income homes, are slowly being replaced with pretty townhouses and some great handicapped accessible homes. They are pretty, and something to take pride in. Many of the owners or renters never learned how to take care of a home, or even have pride in a nice place to live.
I think though, to have people teach them some skills in a meaning-full way, even cutting the grass and taking care of the plants and flowers along the side would help. Those people might need help in money management, and other tasks that some of us take for granted…or learned so long ago we've forgotten.
The house shown done in blue with all the cute porch decor and flowers, is great. I would have loved a starter home such as that. Some just need a little help along the way. This a good idea and with the help of those older who have some of the skills, would make friends, but also the newer folks feel a better relationship with the town folks. I find this to be a wonderful idea.