Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has announced the location for the city’s first micro-community, a small community of tiny homes designed to provide temporary housing for people who are experiencing homelessness.
The micro-community will be located at 2100 South Santa Fe Drive, on a former city-owned lot. It will have 112 tiny homes, as well as shared bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities.
On-site staff will provide residents with support services, such as job training and mental health counseling. The goal of the micro-community is to help residents transition into permanent housing. Construction is expected to begin in early 2024, and the first residents are expected to move in by the end of that year.
“I’ve looked at the pallet homes online, and they look like they would be decent places to live,” Jack Unruh, of the Overland Neighborhood Association, told FOX31. “Mostly about cutting back on the numbers, cutting back on the size.”
Why is this micro-community important?
Denver, like many cities across the country, is facing a growing homelessness crisis. In 2022, there were over 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in Denver on any given night.
The micro-community is a new way to address the homelessness crisis. It offers a safe and supportive place for people to live while they work towards getting back on their feet.
The micro-community will also provide residents with access to important support services, such as job training and mental health counseling. These services can help residents overcome the barriers they face in finding and maintaining permanent housing.
