Tiny Houses - An answer to the chroniclly homeless?

There is a movement afoot to build what are called "Tiny Houses" that are 160 sq. ft to 500 sq. ft that are efficient and cost effective ways to reduce clutter and unnecessary accumulation of "stuff". These mostly younger couples are looking for a way to enter the housing market at a low cost. Many of these tiny houses are on a trailer bed so they can be portable when jobs end or change. You get a new job 300 miles away and you pick up your house an move it to a new location close to work.
Tallahassee has a proposed "Tiny House" development that has been proposed. I can tell you that from a community standpoint, this is a great and effective way to pull people out of supportive housing (we pay as taxpayers) and into a home environment that is equipt with all the necessities including an address and some sort of ownership. This is a key foundation that allows people in these homes to secure a permanent job and have a permanent residence that they can call home.

Back in the early 1900's, businesses like Pullman ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman,_Chicago) actually built the town for their workers. Pullman found that if someone owns a home they are much less likely to want to change jobs and move. I know my last move cost over $11,000 in moving expenses not to mention selling expenses of $16,000. Moving is a cost to be considered when a job change is offered.

Home ownership for those without the experience of owning a home has its challenges. As we look around Tallahassee, we see manicured lawns all the way to naturalized settings. By setting up a neighborhood of tiny houses, there can be shared spaces designed to give the residents amenities for their families and at the same time dignity of having your own space to live and sleep. Shelters like the Kearney Center, provide structure and services to begin the road to self-sufficiency. CareerSource Capital Region (CSCR) is providing a career counselor at the Kearney Center weekly to serve that population and help them find employment. There are Veterans and people with degrees and certifications in this cohort. Some lost jobs awhile ago and have not been able to re-enter the job market with their current skills. That is where CSCR comes in and assesses the skill gap and provides tuition dollars to return to a productive career.

As the CEO of CSCR, I fully support the effort to provide families a low cost alternative to owning a large house, and to make investing in their home something that builds equity and a chance to move into a larger home some day down the road if they want to or need to. 

Jim is the CEO of CareerSource Capital Region and chairman of the Big Bend Continuum of Care Council serving eight counties in Florida. We are working to end homelessness in the region.