New tiny home village in Tacoma to serve Puyallup Tribal members experiencing homelessness
Members of the Puyallup Tribe who are experiencing homelessness will soon have a new resource.
In partnership with the Puyallup Tribe, the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) is constructing a tiny house village to serve up to 35 tribal members 18 and older, including individuals, couples, veterans, seniors, students and people with pets.
LIHI operates two other micro villages in Tacoma: one at 602 N. Orchard St. and one at 623 E. 60th St.
The new village will be located at 2027 E. Wright Ave in Tacoma. The land is owned by the Puyallup Tribe and is currently used for parking.
LIHI aims to open the site by the end of February. There is no end date at this time.
“I think these will be the perfect opportunity for transitional housing in our community,” Shannel Janzen, manager for Puyallup Tribe Wrap Around Program, told the Puyallup Tribe News Staff. “The tiny home village will give people the opportunity to have a safe place to heal, have a roof over their head, a place to lock up their belongings, have their basic needs met, participate in cultural activities, and have support staff 24/7 to help them meet their needs.”
The village will consist of 30 tiny houses, a community kitchen, hygiene facilities, case management and 24-hour staffing. Each tiny house is 8-feet by 12-feet, insulated and has a locking door.
Residents of the site are required to sign a Code of Conduct that includes following behavioral expectations and working with case management. There is zero tolerance towards violence. Security cameras are placed in and around the village.
LIHI said the site will be a “harm reduction village,” meaning that some clients will be suffering from addiction and alcohol dependency.
“If clients are demonstrating inappropriate behavior, they will be asked to step into their tiny house or outside the village for the safety of other residents,” according to LIHI’s list of frequently asked questions. “The village is not clean and sober, as it is meeting people where they are.”
The site was chosen because it was development-ready with utility connections and “allowed us to get the project off the ground as quickly as possible,” according to Tribal Council member David Bean. The site is also located near the Tribal Health Authority and transit-accessible.
LIHI owns and manages over 2,200 housing units at 60 sites throughout the Puget Sound region. Across all of the villages, 50 percent of residents exit to long-term housing, according to LIHI.
“The staff and cultural team will really wrap their arms around the residents of the village to help them achieve their goals. I am so thankful for all the departments who have come together to make this dream a reality,” Janzen said.
