In partnership with a mental health service provider, the University of North Carolina and a non-profit developer, Legion Land Development takes part in an innovative solution to providing supportive services for a unique kind of housing community.
Housing is a challenge all over the country for many, but especially for people with serious mental illness living on a fixed income. In an effort to help these people move towards stability and well-being, Legion has embarked on the construction of The Tiny Home Village that’ll consist of 15 Tiny Homes adequate to live in independently and be able to be part of the larger community for support and friendship.
This community of homes is designed to support people's health and provide a good quality of life. By being able to stably house people, this project gives them a chance to live securely, minimize health issues that they might experience, and maximize their ability to fully engage in their community.
This initiative is born from the knowledge that so much more is needed to fully recover and return to normal life than just adequate medication and access to therapy.
A valuable lesson Legion’s team learned early on is that the work that’s being done is giving people a sense of community and belonging that ignites the willingness and desire to help in others, who in turn will pass on the torch, and keep it going.
When you’re homeless, nothing is yours.
These Tiny Homes can actually be someone’s home, giving a sense of ownership and security and a respite from worry. These people are able to come and finally breathe.
Design has taken a major role in this project. The North Carolina State School of Design is taking part on the project and helping us build a pavilion that is supposed to be the hub where the community can come together. The blend of indoor and outdoor space is important, so in thinking about how the open space outside their homes is designed, it gives a little bit of community, but privacy too.
This is a seat for these people. Once you establish the floor, a lot of other things are possible. This has been and continues to be an interesting and rewarding project and the Legion team is excited to see the site infrastructure development progress. Legion aims for this to become a model for this sector soon be replicated all over North Carolina and beyond.
Vertical construction will soon be started.
Know more about the Tiny Home Village at the Farm at Penny Lane: