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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAlabama Frat Is Building Tiny Houses For Homeless Because They're Their Brothers Too
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/tiny-homes-homeless-veterans_n_6122362.html?utm_hp_ref=impactA new Alabama fraternity has already redefined what it means to be a "brother."
Phi Kappa Psi has only had a presence at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for less than a year, but they already have big plans to help improve their community, WHNT reported. Inspired by a chance meeting with a local homeless person, Taylor Reed -- president of the frat -- decided to establish an organization to build tiny homes for people without a place to live.
Foundations for Tomorrow has set its sights on building 30 tiny homes that will populate an acre of land, and allow its inhabitants to develop a community where they will live, eat and work together, according to the groups fundraising site.
A model for the less than 500-square-feet mobile residences is already on display at a public housing conference in Mobile, WHNT reported. Each home costs about $5,000 to build and a local organization offered to provide solar panels for each house.
While the frat members plan do all the handiwork on their own, they need to raise funds for building materials and to acquire a piece of land.
As of Friday, the group had raised $1,070 of their $10,000 goal.
Phi Kappa Psi is just one of a number of groups that have hopped on the growing homelessness solution.
Late last month, for example, Greensboro, North Carolina, took the initial steps in building the citys first tiny home for its residents living in extreme poverty.
Suich
(10,642 posts)There has been a series on HGTV about them...one couple with 2 small kids, and a newlywed couple had one built, among a couple of others.
They're a very real viable alternative to "double sinks in the bathroom" and "granite countertops in the kitchen!"
mfcorey1
(11,001 posts)some of the problems of homelessness.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)in the entire united states.
Shortage of housing stock is not why there is homelessness.
Suich
(10,642 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)And over a million vacant foreclosed residential properties in Florida.
Suich
(10,642 posts)not in Florida alone. They've got maybe 100,000 total.
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)I don't need much room to live in. But I would get claustrophobic in some I have seen. You need to minimize your material possessions, or be REALLY good about storage habits.
Suich
(10,642 posts)To deal with the possessions, the guy in charge draws 3 circles in the yard of the house they're moving out of: one for donate, one for garbage, and one to save.
The one to save is really small, by comparison...it's what will actually fit inside a Tiny House.
JanMichael
(24,872 posts)If you are, I am sorry. If you aren't-- then your opinion on this article is silly. It's not about You.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Very green way to build
Rhiannon12866
(204,586 posts)Triana
(22,666 posts)That's a crime in parts of the US of Ass.
zonkers
(5,865 posts)mythology
(9,527 posts)Are they fixing everything? Obviously not, but to say that if you can't do that, don't bother is defeatist.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)that actually DOES something other than get drunk, bully people and rape drunk, passed-out females. Good for them. Let's hope they serve as an example of what fraternities can do.
Rhinodawg
(2,219 posts)are they mobile?