They’re called “micro dwellings” and Mel Trotter Ministries will offer 16 of them in its Hope Village on just over 1.5 acres on Garden Avenue Southeast in Grand Rapids.
City Manager Mark Washington noted the innovative concept.
“The city was very instrumental and improving zoning, as well as permitting. This is not the typical way we designed a neighborhood, so all kinds of creative flexibility had to occur.”
A ceremony Monday marked three years of planning, design and construction of the $2.8 million project, largely funded through Mel Trotter’s capital campaign and a grant from the state Housing Development Authority.
Executive Director Amy Hovey urged state lawmakers to continue to invest.
“We would also love for you to make it a little bit more flexible, because one of the things we need to continue to do is remove barriers from folks to be able to access our funding, so that we can get more developers in line, getting housing done.”
The tiny homes range in size from 400-530 square feet.
They’ll provide dignified living space for individuals who have met specific requirements and will pay a portion of the housing costs in monthly rent, says Mel Trotter CEO Chis Palusky.
“These homes are beautiful, fully equipped, and we're very excited about what that means for this community, for our workforce training, and for employment.”
Crews plan to complete up to ten of the tiny homes by the end of this year.
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