Tiny Home Village for Utah‘s Homeless Gets Green Light for 430 Units

Amid the homelessness epidemic in America, Salt Lake City council has moved forward a plan to lease 8 acres of city land to build a village of tiny homes.

Described as “recovery housing” the 430 homes would provide an additional step between total homelessness and total stability.

The program was introduced in April of 2021, and has taken awhile to gain traction. On Tuesday, city council listened to concerns from the community about the use of city resources to move forward with the plan.

Costing $13.8 million, the village was dreamt up by The Other Side Academy, a training school in which students learn pro-social, vocational, and life skills allowing them to emerge with a healthy life on “the other side.”

Attendees are, according to the Academy, mostly convicts, substance abusers, or homeless, including men and women, both pre-and post-sentencing, who are looking to change the direction of their lives.

RELATED: She Invited a Homeless Man For Dinner – Now Her Crowdfunding Has Secured Her New Friend a Tiny Home

SLC council voted 7-0 in favor of the project, which is envisioned to be paid for largely in contributions and donations rather than public money.

No date has been given for a start date of construction, but the village concept art has shown a large circular village with paths extending into the various quarters, centered around a central pagoda.

SIMILAR: Tiny Home Village in Albuquerque Helps Homeless Transition With Social Services and Opportunities

Cities around the country are grappling with the homelessness epidemic in different ways. Tiny homes are often touted as a worthwhile solution to investigate, since it’s very difficult, even with financial assistance, to acquire a bank account, housing, various medical assistance, and a job, from a position of having none of them.

Acres of Hope is a project of tiny homes for single moms in California, while Seattle is cutting red tape to allow a non-profit to build tiny homes for perspective citizens in the backyards of volunteers.

WATCH local Salt Lake City news report on the project. 

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