Texas village combines tiny homes with community spaces to address homelessness

Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, provides compact housing to help formerly chronically homeless residents transition into permanent living situations.

The village offers micro-homes that cost 350 dollars a month. Residents live in inward-facing groups of 40 to 50 units organized along pedestrian paths. Each micro-neighborhood includes four different housing styles, with about 25 to 30 units measuring under 200 square feet.

The village also features larger units designed for couples that include a front porch, a kitchen, a full bathroom, and a separate bedroom. Some of the most unique structures in the village are 3D-printed homes built in partnership with ICON, a construction technology company. These 3D-printed designs share technology with NASA projects intended for Moon-based living spaces. The village provides shared spaces like pickleball courts, gardens, and art studios to foster social connections among neighbors.

Residents can work in these spaces or sell handmade goods in the galleries. Alan Graham, a village leader, stated that community is the key to solving homelessness. The project aims to provide a sense of belonging while allowing residents to pay their own way and maintain stable housing.