Woodcrafters Tiny House Initiative

When life gives you lemons... build Tiny Houses for those without

Woodcrafters Construction recently laid off 10 carpenters due to the state-wide stay at home order handed down by WA Governor, Jay Inslee, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.  Fortunately, we have been approved for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) grant through the US Small Business Association (SBA) and will be able to bring all 10 employees back on payroll with full benefits once the funding hits. We will NOT be able to start back to work on project sites but we DO see an opportunity for these skilled craftsmen to use their knowledge, abilities and tools to benefit our community in this difficult time. 

With the SBA grant, Woodcrafters will donate the labor needed to manage and build between 10 and 20 tiny houses for the Low Income Housing Institute's (LIHI's) Tiny House Villages which provide shelter for homeless individuals and families.

LIHI is currently in desperate need of more Tiny Houses because volunteer groups that gather to build them have been required to stop due to the stay at home order.  In addition, major cities in Puget Sound have already started asking for more tiny houses to meet the demand for rising homelessness due to COVID-19.

WE JUST NEED MATERIALS TO GET GOING!

LIHI estimates that each Tiny House materials package costs $2,500 to $3,000 retail.  We are partnering with Dunn Lumber and other local material suppliers who have offered to sell us building materials at cost for this endeavor. Materials for the houses will be delivered to our carpenters' homes where they will be built (maintaining social distancing  protocols) then picked up by LIHI and delivered to high-priority sites in the Puget Sound Area.

Please help us buy as many as 20 Tiny Houses worth of raw materials by donating to this cause! Can you sponsor one house or possibly two? Are you able to donate building materials or provide them at cost? Can you do a matching contribution?

We know times are tight for everyone and asking for donations seems absurd, but we see this as a way to make a big difference for those in our community that are in far tougher situations than we are. This project also provides a silver lining and some much needed positivity in the midst of these uncertain times allowing you (as a contributor) and our staff to feel connected to our community and like we are doing our part in supporting it.  

Why this project matters:   Access to a Tiny House is A Stepping Stone  to a better life off the streets and lifesaving in an amplified way during the current novel coronavirus outbreak.

Please take a look at the op-ed pieces below regarding significant benefit of Tiny Home Villages to those experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 epidemic.

 - Seattle PI: Coronavirus Article Tiny Houses "As the virus has continued to spread in the region, people experiencing homelessness face an increased risk. People living on the streets have a more difficult time practicing basic hygiene due to few resources. In communal shelters, people sleep close together in crowded spaces, creating an increased risk for infectious diseases like the new coronavirus to spread." 

 - The Appeal: SEATTLE WAS STRUGGLING TO CARE FOR ITS UNHOUSED POPULATION    THEN CORONAVIRUS ARRIVED 

 - Crosscut: Saving Washington The case for building more tiny house villages In 300 words, community leaders offer ideas to soften the economic blow caused by coronavirus.



Thank you for considering this request. 

Sincerely,
Tiny House Team
Woodcrafters Construction LLC