Main fundraiser photo

Raising Money for Construction

According to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, in 2017, there were 82,212 homeless individuals in the city. To compound this fact, the Coalition also notes that the Chicago Public School system identifies 18,117 students who were homeless during the 2016-2017 school year. Chicago Tiny House Inc. hopes to play a part in remedying this epidemic.

The mission of Chicago Tiny House Inc. is to create tiny house communities throughout the city which will provide homeless Chicagoans with safe and cost-effective housing while integrating supportive services bringing true community to our residents. Chicago Tiny House’s initial project will consist of five homes allocated specifically for homeless veterans. One house will serve as an outreach center to provide support. To accomplish this, Chicago Tiny House Inc. asks our community to contribute to an overall goal of $150,000 for this project.

 

Why Homelessness?

The issue of homelessness in Chicago has been persistent and growing. A 2015 analysis done by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless reported 46,425 individuals without homes. As aforementioned, this number has grown to 82,212 in 2017. Countless factors outside of an individual’s control contribute to homelessness: addiction, mental health issues, and family issues just to name a few.

 

In the Journal for Affordable Housing, Texas A&M law professor Lisa T. Alexander argues that a move towards tiny homes as a solution for homelessness represents a rejection of the systems which have tended to ignore low-income individuals. Anderson also depicts how the tiny homes for the homeless movement originated as a form of asset-based community development. These communities are well organized and can restore “dignity, purpose, and connection to others” (Anderson, 2017). Additionally,

 

An article in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved found that unsheltered homeless veterans were 2.7 times as likely to experience ongoing homelessness as their sheltered counterparts. The article also asserted that unsheltered veterans are “good candidates for an intensive housing intervention” (Montgomery, Byrne, Treglia, Culhane, 2016).

 

What is Chicago Tiny House?

Chicago Tiny House is a young yet energetic organization that has already shown a promising future. Founded in November of 2017 by Brien Cron, Chicago Tiny House Inc. has already acquired a plot of land for the initial community , and the organization has raised over $12,000 in donations. Chicago Tiny House Inc. acquired this land with the assistance of Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno of the first ward.

The staff of the Tiny House is volunteer powered and has been engaged with the homeless community for years. The founder and executive director Brien Cron has advocated on behalf of the homeless for the past 12 years. Between Woodstock and Chicago, IL, Brien has worked with several food pantries, and advocated for Chicago’s “tent cities.”

What Does Success Look Like?

Chicago Tiny House Inc. aims to construct five tiny homes on the organizations already acquired property in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2018 pending the approval through the building code commission. The funds will be allocated as followed:

·         $25,000 per home totaling $125,000 total.

·         $15,000 for property upkeep.

·         $3,000 per year for utilities for three years.  



To fulfill the goal of the initial tiny house community, Chicago Tiny House Inc. will have all five homes occupied by previously homeless veterans in the Chicago area within nine months of breaking ground. Success will be measured by the ability for these veterans to adapt to their new homes, create a community between the five homes, and integrate themselves into a productive life.

Chicago Tiny House Inc will also serve as a liaison between the veterans and social workers, career counselors, and other social service entities to facilitate this transition. Chicago Tiny House Inc. expects to have each veteran employed in a full-time position within six to twelve months of taking residency.

Thank you for considering to donate to Chicago Tiny House Inc,   please inform us if you have any questions. Also please direct any inquiries to the Tiny House’s founder and President Brien Cron. 

Organizer

Brien Cron
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Chicago Tiny House Inc
 
Registered nonprofit
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