Snohomish County college students, struggling to find a place to live, could soon take shelter in tiny homes.
The city of Lynnwood is considering allowing the new structures to help ease the growing homeless population.
The first to benefit if the proposal passes is a small tent community tucked behind the Good Shepherd’s Baptist Church in Lynnwood.
Spearheaded by the Jean Kim Foundation, it has housed nearly 20 residents – all homeless and all working towards a college degree.
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Organizers said replacing the tents they are sleeping in with tiny homes would give the residents a more secure environment that would boost their learning potential.
“It would help make a whole person and it will help them feel more like they are making progress that they are stepping forward,” said Jason Dunbar, services coordinator with Jean Kim Foundation.
Right now two students, ages 26 and 53, are currently staying at Shepherds Village.
Site manager Tony Thompson said he hopes tiny homes will also inspire other churches to create similar villages to help those in need of permanent housing and social services.
“This (homeless crisis), everybody has an idea on how to solve it, we have one idea, it’s through education,” said Thompson.
Cox Media Group
