A tiny home village for homeless veterans will be built in an Orting field.

A new project breaking ground in Orting will soon house dozens of homeless veterans.

A field behind existing veteran housing will soon be filled with tiny homes called the Orting Veterans Village.

Marcus Taylor was once a homeless Navy veteran who now works as a homeless advocate. He hopes the project will help others avoid a situation like he was in.

“This day, to me, means a lot. Not only does it provide second chances to veterans that have served our country, but it’s a needed resource in our community right now,” Taylor said.

The tiny home village will serve as permanent housing for 35 veterans. The project is lead by Quixote Communities, a non-profit with similar communities in Olympia.

“The average rate of someone staying is about three years. And for some of those folks, that’s the longest they’ve lived somewhere at all – and for them, that is success,” said Jaycie Osterberg of Quixote Communities.

The Orting Veterans Village starts by getting veterans off the streets and into a supportive environment.

“But they also have this community, this built-in support and a place where they belong and where they feel like they are a part of this community. And I think that’s what really makes this work,” Osterberg said.

Taylor agrees. “I know it can work. I know this can work, this is a definite needed project and a solution to a lot of problems."