Construction begins on 'tiny home' hub for homeless veterans in Phoenix

A neglected dirt lot gave way to a symphony of scrapes as volunteers smoothed the concrete foundation Saturday for a tiny-house project intended to fulfill much grander goals.

The model houses and teaching site — Micro on Madison — is the latest iteration of a dream to build 1,200 so-called "tiny houses" on plots of land around the Valley, said Elizabeth Singleton, president of Build Us H.O.P.E.

The project at the intersection of Madison and 12th streets in Phoenix will serve as ground zero for conversations about affordable-housing options for the Valley's homeless and disabled veterans.

Another housing effort is underway for veterans near 13th Avenue and Buckeye Road in Phoenix.

“We want to also create an environment for the homeless that are in this community where they can contribute,” Singleton said as volunteers scraped the solidifying concrete foundations. A community garden is also in the works.

On Saturday, volunteers — some who had never done construction — donned orange vests and dug into the morning's effort. Work began at sunrise as volunteers cleared rubbish from the lot. By 11 a.m., the concrete was all but set. And by noon, the work transitioned to upgrading an area fence.

A handful of people experiencing homelessness joined in the work Saturday.

As one man put it, the world needs volunteers from all walks of life now more than ever.

Dubbed "tiny homes" in pop culture — trendy television shows heap praise on the slimmed-down, minimalist structures — the houses from Build Us H.O.P.E. will be 300 to 450 square feet. Designers are working to make them as sustainable as possible.

Donations are aiding the effort, Singleton said, and eventual tenants will chip in 30 percent of their income. Some assistance might be made available for those who lack the funds entirely.

Singleton is working alongside Arizona State University students through a partnership with Greenlight Solutions, a non-profit that connects students to community groups partaking in sustainability-driven projects.

Five ASU students were among those working on Saturday's project.

“We’re just trying to get it done instead of talking about it,” said Kevin Keleher, executive director of Greenlight Solutions. “It’s a really exciting time.”

The houses at Micro on Madison are expected to be completed in about three weeks. They will then be able to be duplicated at sites elsewhere.

Additional information about the application process and details about how to volunteer or donate are available at www.buildushope.com and www.glsolutions.org.

Follow Republic reporter Jason Pohl on Twitter @pohl_jason.

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