This Canadian Organization is Building Tiny House Villages for Homeless Veterans

(TMU) — Over a dozen veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, who have been living on the streets, will soon have pristine new homes and a small community to call their own.

The Homes for Heroes village in southeast Calgary is just the first new community being built for needy former troops in Canada. The village is comprised of 15 tiny houses arranged in a horseshoe shape around an open green courtyard space. The homes themselves are equipped with cable television, kitchens, and outdoor decks.

Just like their counterparts in the United States, Canadian veterans have a particularly tough time re-adapting to civilian life, especially after overseas deployments that take a harsh physical and psychological toll, making the search for homes and jobs difficult.

An estimated 3,500 veterans are either experiencing homeless or living on the brink, according to CTV News.

David Howard, the president and co-founder of the Homes For Heroes Foundation, told Globe Newswire:

“Our team at the Homes For Heroes Foundation has met with hundreds of veterans who are in crisis and experiencing homelessness.

We wanted to build a program that can help them with a successful transition to civilian life. Our veterans are proud warriors, proud of their service, and proud to be citizens of Canada. They want a hand-up, not a hand-out. We listened to what they had to say, and we designed our foundation around meeting their needs.”

Toward that end, the complex is equipped with a resource center, a counselor’s office, and a suite for visiting family. Residents will have access to mental health support, job training, mentoring, case management, community gardens, and memorials.

Each home also will bear a plaque outside the door dedicated to fallen military personnel in “recognition to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Howard said.

Opening the first tiny home village for veterans experiencing homelessness in Calgary November 1st. We want to thank all our partners for their support in helping us open the first of many Homes for Heroes Villages. Tenants move in November 1st. https://t.co/C8evqA2A6I pic.twitter.com/mCTSzVgiDh

— Homes For Heroes Foundation (@homes4heroesfdn) October 24, 2019

The Homes For Heroes Foundation built the village in collaboration with social service provider Mustard Seed and the Calgary-based company ATCO, reports CBC.

Retired military police officer Don Mcleod, who works with Mustard Seed to counsel and support the vets, said that it remains difficult for veterans to get past feelings of self-blame and shame over their rough situation, making it a challenge for them to access available services. He added:

“They don’t feel that they are deserving of anything and the position they are in right now is their own fault and there’s nothing that can be done for them.”

However, Howard believes that it is the community that hasn’t done enough up to this stage. Howard himself is the grandson of a World War II veteran who suffered from PTSD and other issues resulting from his service. He added:

“What I saw was somebody who served our country, he came back broken and we weren’t there to help.” 

According to Howard, the villages cost anywhere from $3.5 to $5 million CAD to create—or roughly $2.7 million to $3.8 million USD. He remains hopeful that the pilot village will provide a model for future communities for vets in need. Howard said:

“Together we are stronger, together we can create a program and we believe this will be successful.”

By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com