Tiny Homes for Low Income Families

We have seen countless YouTube videos and news reports on tiny houses. In general when showcased they prove the true necessity and bare minimum required to live within a home. They sacrifice wasted space for innovation through storage and space management. The tiny home boom has been mostly seen as an alternative living style as it is has fallen into the more “hipster” category of living. However tiny homes are demonstrating that they are amazing in providing shelter for the homeless and a transitional place of living for people getting back on their feet.

Dignity Village in Northeast Portland is a group that is utilizing tiny homes for just that. Providing change within the community, Dignity Village has been taking in 60 people a night since 2001. As a communal group they are protected by the city of Portland in a “radical experiment to end homelessness”. This idea of providing these tiny houses as a way to support the homeless and give them an opportunity to get off their feet can be seen in other projects such as Social Justice 4 All in St. Louis. Social Justice 4 All has been working with North Grand Neighborhood Services to build 3 tiny houses to help promote the “dignity of low-income person and the community in which they share” by creating these tiny houses. Efforts such as these have also been demonstrated in Los Angeles, where even smaller some times mobile tiny houses are being built to protect the homeless with shelter and security.

Tiny homes have had much push back in their ability to prove themselves as livable dwellings recognized by different states. There are many difficult hurdles to bound in order to have one of these homes established within a city. With housing costs on the rise, tiny homes offer an affordable alternative for people of low-income to gain pride and dignity in home ownership. Coupled with providing support for the homeless and low-income families is the innovation that is being developed working out the kinks of sustainable living within these homes. This has provided a new insight and understanding of green living and eco-friendly building materials and practices. The further expansion of tiny homes legality within cities should be addressed as it is an alternative solution that could have great benefit.

Dignity Village Website

Social Justice 4 All

LA Times on Tiny Homes and Homelessness