Could Tiny Homes Be the Answer to Utah’s Affordable Housing Shortage?

A Tiny Home Village is A Much Better Solution Than “Housing First” to Alleviate Utah’s Affordable Housing Crisis

May 4, 2021

A Tiny Home Village is A Much Better Solution Than “Housing First” to Alleviate Utah’s Affordable Housing Crisis

A tiny home village in Austin, Texas called Community First! Village, has been working to help alleviate the working-poor homeless gap in Austin, Texas, which is even more of a boom-town than Salt Lake City.

It’s a much better solution for the working poor because it requires everyone to pay rent and remain clean. Unlike Salt Lake City’s lauded homeless program, Housing First, which was designed to “give free homes to the homeless.” It helps the working poor maintain jobs, if not in the workforce but within the community of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, or on-site maintaining the grounds as a requirement to maintain occupancy in the village.

Housing First has allowed a subsistence class of Salt Lake City residents to live with free rent and housing. It has never been demonstrated that by providing the material necessities to maintain life alleviates despair or the feeling that a person is worthless.

Free housing where applicants need to prove desperation, or chronic chemical dependence, or alcoholism, or mental illness to qualify doesn’t reward good behavior, but ensures dependency on tax-payer handouts and essentially rewards bad behavior. Free housing doesn’t offer residents the confidence that their life has value or purpose. Salt Lake City needs a solution that builds community, value, and purpose into the equation.

Austin, Texas has proven that tiny home villages are a much better solution. Just from a simple mathematical and economic perspective, it makes sense. 500-1,000 square foot homes ranging in rents from $300-$900; and ranging in amenities from having full tiny kitchens and baths, to community kitchens and baths. Tiny homes are far more affordable to build, and they provide first-time homebuyers a truly affordable option, along with a true community of people who are working to maintain their own living.

With the latest news that Salt Lake County’s new average home is nearly $500,000, this sounds like the very best option to alleviate the homelessness and affordable housing crisis.

Austin’s Tiny home projects underway

Austin’s Community First! Village

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Richard Markosian

I am a story teller and journalist. I have a passion for farmers, local craftspeople, and folks who aspire to create, build and grow their business in the local marketplace. Why local? By supporting locally-owned businesses we create more opportunity for entrepreneurs, and we claim our sovereignty to shape our communities how we want to see them. I aspire to build Utah Stories Magazine into a household Utah name, and assist Utah businesses and makers with marketing. On the journalism side of things my passion is investigative journalism that offers true insight into issues. I believe strongly in the forth estate: strong, meaningful, insightful journalism is essential to a free market Democracy.