foundations for tomorrow - presentation for huntsville, al city council
TRANSCRIPT
Making a large impact on our future through tiny homes
Mission Bridge the gap between homelessness and re-
integration into the community for Huntsville’s Homeless through the establishment of a tiny home village.
Community Partnerships Foundations for Tomorrow will coordinate all partnerships, find land,
fundraise, and construct the village Helping Huntsville’s Homeless Veterans and Citizens will assist with
homeless advocacy, preserving community, and the construction of the homes
Mindgear Labs will help prototype and assemble the first tiny home in addition to assisting with community partnerships
Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity at UAH will assist with fundraising and construction of tiny homes
Alabama Center for Sustainable Energy will assist with powering the community through solar
Other Collaborators North Alabama Center for Homelessness (NACH) Cornerstone Initiative Huntsville Housing Authority First Stop Chargers for Sustainability
Other Resources At least 6 other cities have
found tiny home communities to be a solution for their homeless
Working with Opportunity Village founder from Eugene, OR to learn best practices.
Working with board member from Quixote Village, WA to assist with community sustainment
Part of The Village Collaborative nationwide group for cities trying to implement tiny home solutions for the homeless
A tiny home is defined as a small home that seldom exceeds 500 square feet. The typical tiny house is usually less than 8 ft by 20 ft, with livable space of 80-200 square feet and are commonly placed on wheels for transportability
Dedication to simplicity Reduces physical footprint on the environment Usually include a living space, kitchenette, a loft for
sleeping, and a front porch Aesthetically charming
Standard of housing has become inaccessible. The average American requires 3 times the space compared to 1950
980 square ft per person which is the same amount that used to house a whole family
A tiny home is an ideal vehicle for improving physical infrastructure of homeless camps without disrupting the existing social balance of privacy and community
Why Tiny Homes
Benefits of Tiny Home Village Tiny homes cost much less than other
temporary housing Today construction of low-income housing comes
at a cost of upwards of $200,000 per unit. Tiny home price $5,000 - $10,000
Reduces costs to tax payers for public services used by the homeless.
Leaving someone homeless costs $31,065 annually, per person, meanwhile providing that person with permanent housing, job training, and health care costs 68% less at $10,051.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has even endorsed the model as a viable solution stating “It’s certainly something that we would encourage other communities to take a look at when it comes to creating solution for housing the homeless….It’s a very important step in terms of the kinds of services we should be providing to people that need assistance”
1 Andrew Heben, Tent City Urbanism (2014)2 Central Florida Commission on Homelessness “the Cost of Long-Term Homelessness in Central
Florida (2014)”3 Erika Lundahl, “Tiny Houses for the Homeless: An Affordable Solution Catches On,” Yes!,
February 20, 2014
Hospita
l $16
38
Mental
Hospita
l $550
Jail $8
1
Prison
$79
Supp
ortive
Housin
g $30
Shelt
er $2
8$0
$200$400$600$800
$1,000$1,200$1,400$1,600$1,800
Temporary Housing CostsPer Day
A study comparing 9 major U.S. cities found that incarceration and hospitalization are for more
expensive routes than providing shelters or even supportive housing.
1
2
3
Provides a model of compassion towards the homeless First city in the Southeast to implement this solution Present Huntsville as a leader in innovative solutions to homelessness at the 2014 Alabama
Statewide Housing & Homelessness Conference Most communities find themselves policing, rather than servicing as a
method for managing the issue of homelessness. Being independent while being unhoused often results in citations and arrests, making it even
more difficult to ever get a job or housing. Instead the unhoused are forced into top-down social service programs that tend to initiate this culture of dependence – sending the message that you no longer need to know how to take care of yourself, but at the same time we don’t have the capacity to help you forever. The unhoused are put on a one-way track where they are told: get in line so that you can pay subsidized rent, instead having support while they learn how to support themselves.
Simply allowing for a legal place to reside – even with the most meager provisions of shelter, reduces negative, external impacts on the city.
Provides a safe, non-violent environment with some degree of privacy Establishes an address Self-governance through regular community meetings where the group adopts basic agreements
that, at a minimum, prohibit acts of violence, theft, and illegal drugs. Those who break the camp’s rules are often told to leave, either temporarily or permanently. An offender typically has a chance to state his or her case with a majority vote by the other members determining the outcome.
Positive City Impact
At least 1 acre of Land 30 tiny homes Community building
Access to public transportation Within ¼ mile
Access to services e.g. Rose of Sharon, First Stop, Downtown
Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Cornerstone Borders that are controlled
Fencing or trees
Site Criteria
Run by non-profit and a board of directors Membership by application Review tenants progress monthly Create village rules
No violence No drugs No theft
Required service hours 10-20 hours per week depending on employment
Provide services Access to education Access to counseling Distribution of food, personal items, and construction materials Volunteer nurse and doctors for medical Care Volunteer vet for pet care
Village Management
At least 1 acre of land that meets the site criteria Assistance and support on variances for zoning and
ordinances prohibiting tiny homes
What I Need From You
Nicky Beale – Project Lead Phone: 256-783-3253 Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alscefoundationsfortomorrow Website: http://foundationsfortomorrowal.com
Contacts