A new Tiny House Village (THV) is opening soon on Tukwila International Boulevard, just north of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, hosted by Church by the Side of the Road (CBSR) and operated by Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI). This new THV is funded jointly through a King County grant awarded and administered by KCRHA and the City of Tukwila.
Church by the Side of the Road has been an active participant in serving unhoused neighbors in Tukwila for many years and stepped up to offer their property when LIHI put out a call for land to site a new THV. (Read more from South Seattle Emerald.)
This village will provide 40 units of Sound Foundations NW-built tiny homes, hygiene facilities, community space, a laundry room, as well as spaces to provide case management and other supportive services. Each unit is heated and has air conditioning, providing not just comfort but safety as we transition out of cold weather and into hot weather in the coming months.
One thing that makes this village unique is who it will serve: families. Most THVs serve couples or individuals, but the CBSR THV will focus on families with children. Larger families will be accommodated by occupying multiple side-by-side houses. This THV will also operate with more stringent rules for the safety of minor residents and because of its proximity to a nearby elementary school and early learning center.
Individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness come from a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of life circumstances and barriers to housing. Our homelessness response system, including emergency shelters like THVs, needs to be able to accommodate those diverse needs to effectively serve our community at large. Expanding shelter for families is a critical step forward in diversifying homelessness solutions throughout the region.
The first families are expected to move into their tiny homes later this month.
Thank you to Sound Foundations for providing a photo of the CBSR Tiny House Village for this blog.
