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WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF EXISTING MICRO HOME COMMUNITIES

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Aloha Micro Village – Portland, Oregon

Aloha Micro Village is located in Portland’s St. Johns neighborhood. It opened in 2021 and features 20 tiny homes ranging in size from 100-300 square feet. The village provides shelter and services for people experiencing homelessness. Residents live in the micro homes long term and have access to bathrooms, a community building, and support services on site. Rent is affordable at 30% of a resident’s income. The goal is to help residents transition to permanent housing. Aloha Village was built through a partnership between the nonprofit organization, The Village Coalition, and the city of Portland. It’s one of the first sanctioned tiny home villages in Portland.

Opportunity Village Eugene – Eugene, Oregon

Located in Eugene, Opportunity Village Eugene opened in 2019 and was the city’s first permitted tiny home village. It consists of 31 small homes ranging from 160-300 square feet in size located on 1.4 acres of land. The development was a partnership between the nonprofit SquareOne Villages and the city of Eugene. Residents pay an affordable rent of $300-500 per month and have access to shared amenities like a community building, laundry facilities, fresh water, and bathrooms. Support services are also provided on site to help residents transition out of homelessness. The community has been successful in providing long-term housing for vulnerable populations in Eugene.

Dignity Village – Portland, Oregon

Dignity Village is Portland’s longest running self-governed homeless community, opening in 2000. It consists of 30 small dwellings constructed by residents on over 2 acres of industrial land leased from the city. Home sizes range up to 600 square feet. Residents collaboratively decide guidelines and operate the village through an elected council and committees. A monthly rent of $35 is charged to contribute to utilities and upkeep. In addition to housing, the site includes a community center, gardening areas, and pet areas. Dignity Village pioneered the self-governed model for homeless communities and continues operating successfully today, demonstrating the benefits of community-led solutions.

Opportunity Village Austin – Austin, Texas

Launched in 2017, Opportunity Village Austin provides shelter and support for 25 residents in 15 tiny homes. The community is located on land donated by The Carpenters Union on the outskirts of Austin. Homes range between 100-300 square feet and access is provided to bathroom and laundry facilities. Residents pay $225–350 in monthly rent and live long term while receiving case management and connecting to outside services. The goal is to empower residents with the life skills and resources needed to exit homelessness. Since opening, Opportunity Village Austin has shown the potential for tiny home communities to address the housing crisis in the fast growing city.

The Hill Community – Denver, Colorado

The Hill Community sits on a 1 acre plot of donated land in an industrial area of ​​northwest Denver. Established in 2021, it offers 19 permanent tiny homes ranging from 100-160 square feet in size as long-term housing. The development was a partnership between the nonprofit Colorado Village Collaborative and the city of Denver. Residents pay 30% of their income in rent and have access to shared amenities like restrooms, laundry, a community building, garden areas and on-site services. The Hill aims to end homelessness for its residents by providing dignified year-round housing while linking households to case management and other support programs. Early outcomes indicate it can successfully transition clients into permanent housing.

Opportunity Village Salem – Salem, Oregon

Launched in 2021, Opportunity Village Salem provides shelter and services for up to 45 people across 15 tiny homes located in North Salem. Homes range between 160-200 square feet with access to shared restrooms and gathering spaces. Residents pay 30% of their income towards affordable rent. Case management and programming is offered on site to help residents improve health, find work, and ultimately transition into permanent housing. The village operates as a partnership between the city of Salem, local nonprofit Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, and SquareOne Villages. It shows how even medium sized cities can utilize tiny home communities to aid people experiencing homelessness.

These are just a few examples of real micro-home communities established across the United States in recent years. Each provides permanent shelter and support services for formerly homeless individuals and families through the utilitarian and affordable housing option of tiny homes. While varies in size, ownership structure, and programming, collectively they demonstrate how the micro-housing model can successfully address housing insecurity and help vulnerable populations transition towards stability. As homelessness and housing affordability crises worsen nationwide, more communities are turning to innovative solutions like village-style clusters of micro homes which focus on dignity, community and empowering residents.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS OF LIVING IN A MICRO HOME COMMUNITY

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While micro-home communities offer advantages like affordable housing and low-maintenance living, there are also some potential downsides to consider. Some of the key drawbacks include:

Lack of privacy – Living in very close proximity to neighbors means you have little personal space and privacy. Thin walls mean you can likely hear your neighbors talking, watching TV, etc. There is less buffer between you. Some communities do try to address this by building homes farther apart or using soundproofing, but noise transmission will still likely be an issue.

Feeling cramped – Most micro-homes are quite small, often under 300 square feet. While they are designed to feel open, living in such a small space long-term could start to feel cramped, claustrophobic, or uncomfortable for some. Storage is also limited. You really have to be comfortable with minimalism to enjoy the benefits of tiny living. The tradeoff for lower housing costs is sacrificing space.

Few amenities – Due to their tiny size, micro-homes usually don’t have much in the way of conveniences. Things like full kitchens, large pantries, living rooms, laundry rooms, and other standard amenities may be missing. Community amenities like a shared laundry room, workshop, or party space help address this but in-home amenities will be minimal. This loss of amenities has to be worth the lower housing costs for residents.

Pets and guests – It can be challenging to accommodate pets, long-term guests, or growing families in a micro-home. There simply isn’t extra room. Any pet would limit livable space further. Visitors would need to stay elsewhere. Growing families may outgrow the home quickly. Micro living works best for single occupants or small nuclear families without plans for major life changes.

Maintenance responsibilities -While property maintenance is taken care of at most communities, individual homeowners are still responsible for caring for the interior and systems of their tiny home. Things like plumbing issues, electrical problems, or roof leaks would be the owner’s fiscal responsibility to fix. This could mean higher maintenance costs than a traditional apartment.

Reliance on shared amenities – As micro-homes have few individual amenities, residents are highly reliant on well-maintained shared amenities like laundry, workshop, party areas, etc. If those amenities fall into disrepair or the homeowners’ association handling maintenance becomes dysfunctional, it can negatively impact quality of life.

Natural disasters – Tiny homes on foundations or with wheels present some unique risks in disasters like floods, fires, or high winds compared to traditional housing. Their smaller size offers less protection. Communities have to ensure good preparations, evacuation plans, and emergency response coordination.

Resale challenges – Should owners want to sell, there may be challenges offloading a micro-home. The small pool of buyers limits resale value. Moving costs can be high. Potential buyers need to be comfortable with the lifestyle. Permits in some areas don’t allow detaching the home to move it.

Not for everybody – Micro-living promotes a minimalist lifestyle that isn’t a fit for everyone long-term. Some may find they crave more space or independence over time. Communities work best for people strongly wanting to live simply and share facilities with neighbors. The lifestyle has to be an intentional choice.

While more affordable, these types of communities are not care-free living. Micro-home owners have to accept responsibility for maintenance, property management tasks like arranging repairs, more reliance on neighbors, and limits to privacy and space. The overall lifestyle tradeoffs involved may offset the cost savings for some individuals or families. Careful consideration of needs and personality fit is important before committing to tiny home community living long-term.

Micro-home communities provide an affordable housing alternative for some but also present potential drawbacks around lack of privacy, feeling cramped, few in-home amenities, limitations on pets and guests, individual maintenance responsibilities, reliance on shared facilities, risks in disasters, challenges reselling, and the lifestyle not suiting everyone long-term. Prospective residents need to weigh these drawbacks against the benefits of lower costs to determine if a micro-housing community is the right fit for their needs and lifestyle preferences. With proper management of risks and consideration of limitations, they can be a good option for many seeking minimalist dwelling.