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Tech millionaire builds 99-unit tiny house neighborhood for homeless Canadians - rent is kept at 30% of income, the large majority of residents pay a maximum of $200 — including all utilities (www.goodgoodgood.co)

submitted 6 months ago by Blaze@sopuli.xyz to c/goodnewseveryone@sh.itjust.works

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[-] pdqcp@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 6 months ago

Impressive, it's even a walkable place seen that it is a mixed use neighborhood with commercial buildings too

[-] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 8 points 6 months ago

I get that he enjoys staying involved with the project including providing/helping services for the community, but this probably doesn't need to use the "30% of income rent" crutch that is typical. Would be less time consuming to sell homes at cost, perhaps partner with bank to guarantee mortgages at low rates, let the community be a self managed HOA. Can make unlimited communities that way instead of tying up all your/his time into this one.

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[-] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 8 points 6 months ago

When is that 30% determined? Sounds like this would be an inescapable situation. If they finally start making more, they're suddenly overpaying for this shit and can't save up anything to move somewhere better

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[-] tacobellhop@midwest.social 7 points 6 months ago

My grandma lived in this trailer park for 40 years until she died. Pretty low overhead.

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 7 points 6 months ago

These units may be basically sheds, but I've seen people pay half a million to have the same thing three floors up in central London.

[-] Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 6 months ago

If I was homeless I'd take solid four walls the size of a medium-sized tent if it meant warmth, utility services, your own toilet and anything else I'd need to even be able to focus on caring for myself or even others more than merely survive. Those tiny buildings might be the minimum, but they ARE something you can call a safe home.

I'm wondering though, how was this more cost-effective to build than a long apartment complex...? Do those tiny things not need any concrete foundation, perhaps regulatory stuff…?

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[-] nihilist_hippie@lemmy.ca 7 points 6 months ago

This is really great to see. So glad there are people like this out there willing to extend empathy to people who are struggling. I love that this project also respects their clients' autonomy as well. The fact that you don't have to stay sober to be there, I think it's great. Just give someone a stable roof over their head, a small support network, and I believe they can turn around their addictions and their lives.

[-] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 4 points 6 months ago

Are these houses good shelters for tornados?

They don't look like they would be. That alone kills the tiny house for a huge chunk of the US :/.

[-] Delphia@lemmy.world 9 points 6 months ago

If you build one big shelter for the neighbourhood its probably way more cost effective than per house.

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[-] morrowind@lemmy.ml 4 points 6 months ago

It's not scalable, but good on him

[-] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 6 months ago

Why not?

[-] morrowind@lemmy.ml 7 points 6 months ago

I mean.. we can't rely on rich people funding our housing

But also the way it's built. They're all small, single story homes. It's great for starting an independent community like he did, but most people want to live in cities, and this would never work in a city