"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked."
Psalm 146:7-9
TINY HOME VILLAGE
COMMUNITY CONCEPT
A Proclamation
“In this endeavor we determine to return dignity, security, value and peace to Española and its surrounding Hispano and Pueblo peoples. This project is dedicated to every soul who chooses to leave the dark and re-enter the light by returning to the path of brotherly love.”
~Ephraim D’Angelo Hernandez
DATE: SU October 9th, 2022 | Day 12 | Month 7 | Jubilee Year | Year 5994
AUTHOR: Ephraim D’Angelo Hernandez
ORGANIZATION: T.O.R.A.H. WORKS MINISTRIES
CITY: ESPANOLA, NM 87532 AND SURROUNDING PUEBLO COMMUNITIES
Table of Contents
Introduction
Tiny Hut Village
Tiny Home Village Community
The Pursuit of Sustainability
Cost Benefits Analysis
THV’s around the USA
Zia Communal Design
Introduction
In order to restore and support the rights and security of our population here in Española and the surrounding Pueblos this project proposal is being put forward. On September 27th, 2022 many Española Citizens came before the City Council to express their concern about the homeless problem in Española. Each passionately expressing their feelings of fear and lack of safety, requesting the city do something about the issue. Unfortunately, our society has taken an us or them mentality concerning this issue. Out of control homelessness is not isolated to our area but is taking place all over our once great nation. Many recent documentaries have been produced that bring this reality to the forefront.
The first greatest obstacle to finally solving this problem is indifference. As we have talked to various people about this issue in the public, there is a clearly negative attitude that these homeless people are only a problem, that they want to live that life, and that nothing will help them. Generalizing is also an aspect of this issue. Rather than understanding that not all homeless people are criminals, or drug addicts.
One city counselor made this point during that meeting. “Not all homeless people are the same, some are addicted to drugs, some fell on hard times, some are alcoholics, and some are mentally disabled.” Generalizing people in any way does not help anyone understand a problem. People are a group of individuals and each individual should be treated as such.
In January 2020, reported by KTNV 13 in Las Vegas Nevada, a small nonprofit decided to do something about the homeless problem. The gentleman purchased a piece of land that was zoned for a single-family home. As he was developing the property he started making efforts to have the property re-zoned for tiny homes. He could no longer sit by and watch as people suffered. At this same time our country was being locked down because of Covid-19. The city gave the man a time limit to tear down the 28 tiny homes that he had built. He could not get the area zoned in time and the city came in and destroyed all 28 tiny homes. The tiny homes were not without tenants. For the full story see the link below.
Source:
The problem is solvable with a well thought out plan, the right intention, an individual approach and of course consistent work. The tools are already ready and at our disposal.
In June of 2019 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy, published a report. The report is titled Choice Matters: Housing Models that May Promote Recovery for Individuals and Families Facing Opioid Use Disorder.
This report is a powerful tool in understanding various housing models and their benefits, and how each may serve individuals in our community. The first model is called Housing First.
“The most commonly endorsed housing model among experts contacted through this project was Housing First, particularly Housing First with on-site treatment and supportive services. Experts favor the Housing First Model because it does not require sobriety, which improves retention rates and subsequently the housing model’s ability to provide services to individuals with SUD*. Relapse is common among those with SUD, and the Housing First Model recognizes this reality. Several research studies conducted in different cities have consistently found a housing retention rate of 85% after five years in Housing First programs. Client satisfaction is similar in both Housing First programs and programs that require treatment for either mental disorder or SUD before housing.”
*SUD – Substance Use Disorder
The project here proposed has two distinctly different parts or aspects that work together to form the whole project. The first will be identified with the term Tiny Hut and the second Tiny Home. We will first describe the two projects and how they relate to each other.
We want to make sure that we are considering all possible barriers, risks and of course outcomes that we want to accomplish and why. For example, many homeless people have a dog or dogs, and this is something that could be a barrier to that person being able to enter housing, unless the tiny hut has a fence around it for his animal. The next issue is if that individual is allowed to keep their beloved pet they would have to be accountable to clean up after that pet.
Tiny Hut Village (THV)
The Tiny Hut Village is a low barrier housing first community. Besides immediate housing, its goal is to get people ready to make better choices for themselves. People who are living on the streets, in the elements whether they are addicts, alcoholics, disabled, fell on hard times or any combination of these are in a state of Arrested Development. As I’m sure you know, Arrested Development is a clinical term that means that the individual has halted in any sense of naturally occurring life maturity.
The majority of huts will be single since it is mostly single persons and couples living on the streets in our area. Two to three family sized huts will be available for families in need of immediate housing. We recommend the Conestoga Hut for most of the single and couple huts, and possibly connected Conestoga huts for families.
Conestoga Hut Building Manuals:
The reason for the two separate Villages is to encourage people who start out in a Tiny Hut to have opportunity to eventually move into a Tiny Home. The Tiny Hut community is more immediate temporary housing lasting 6 months to 2 years. The goal is to inspire change with a real chance at a home of their own.
Another choice being used in Denver Colorado, is a Tiny Home developed by Radian. This is a mobile pop-up tiny home option that may be a cost-effective choice because in many cases the land a Tiny Home Village is established may not be a permanent location. This excerpt is an example of how that could be a hinderance that we would want to be prepared for.
“The village had to move about 200 feet in January — from one side of its lot to the other — at a cost of $25,000 because of now-changed city rules governing temporary residential structures. The city chipped in $10,000.”
If the city is willing to invest, and this option proves to be the most cost effective, the pop-up Tiny Home could be the first option in leu of the Conestoga. This option is now being used in what is touted as Denver’s first Tiny Home Village; The Beloved Community. Both options would require the building of a bathhouse along with a soup kitchen. For more info on this model here’s an article by J. Michael Welton.
Tiny Home Village Community (THVC)
The Tiny Home Village Community is more permanent housing than the Tiny Hut Village. These units include indoor plumbing; a kitchenette and bathroom and a small storage area. The Tiny Homes are rentable and purchasable. Meaning once an individual is clean from drug or alcohol use, has obtained gainful employment, and has saved up, they have the opportunity to rent or mortgage a tiny home.
The Purchase-ability will be based on factors like trustworthiness, responsibility, financial stability, attitude. Since Tiny homes are reasonably affordable the chance at a normal life is attainable and thereby motivation for individuals to make better choices.
The Tiny Home Village project could also include the opportunity for a future owner to participate in the building and even design of their own home. Another strong motivator for people to get clean and sober.
Here in Espanola there is an area land owner that is willing to allow Tiny Homes to be built on his property and has experience working with Section 8. This land owner has space for approximately 8 to 10 Tiny Homes. Also, next to the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority on Paseo de Pajarito there is a plot of land that they own that could be used for such a project. Land and options are available.
The Pursuit of Sustainability
As Tiny Home communities are becoming a fast-growing necessity around the world it behooves us to consider not only Tiny Hut or Tiny Home communities, but Tiny Home neighborhoods.
Denver opened the doors for THC’s by changing zoning laws and building codes, (read the full article). Consider that idea that Tiny Home Neighborhoods is the next step in economic growth for New Mexico. Neighborhoods built with Tiny Homes developed in such a way as to invite any and all potential buyers. Since the price of land, property, building materials, food have increased exponentially we owe it to ourselves and each other that every community find ways to make housing accessible and build new neighborhoods and communities that are sustainable.
Of course, as we continue to make use of already built housing options, we must look ahead to new growth.
Inflation rates have surged since 2021, and everyone is feeling it, including our older generations; retired and living on fixed incomes. This proposal intends to address not just the homeless problem, but the survivability of the people of the Española Valley. Each problem is connected to another problem, which means each solution contributes to solving other problems in our community as a whole.
A recent problem that our community has been dealing with are problems with the Trash Authority. For anyone reading this proposal from the area you know how this issue has affected our quality of life. Since the Trash Authority made the decision to stop picking up trash on side streets and down rural roads a cascade of problems for city and county governments has arisen. Businesses have had to lock their dumpsters because people that don’t want to pay to take their trash to the transfer station are just finding dumpsters to throw their trash. In the view of the public they are already paying for trash services that are connected to water.
Sustainability is something we as a city and all our areas communities need to embrace. New Mexico as a state is now 2nd on the list of states highest in violent crimes. The rise in theft in our small town has risen to the point where stores don’t even blink and these two problems are directly tied to some members of our homeless population.
Our only homeless shelter has a capacity of 12 men, 12 women, and two families. That’s a very small portion of our whole homeless population. Santa Fe, the largest nearest city has their own out of control homeless population, and all of their emergency shelters are at capacity with waiting lists. This link from the Tiny House Society offers some really great statistics on the sustainability of tiny homes like:
89% of tiny house owners have less credit card debt than the average American.
And 68% of tiny house owners don't have any mortgage!
This recently (August) published comprehensive list from getonedesk.com provides 57 Tiny House Statistics for 2022.
Graph Here
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