The first mini home for KCK's Eden Village has arrived
Organizers say there will be 23 mini homes and a community center
Organizers say there will be 23 mini homes and a community center
Organizers say there will be 23 mini homes and a community center
Eden Village in Kansas City, Kansas, is nearly a reality. The community will feature mini homes similar to those at the Veterans Community Project on the Missouri side.
"We get to see them finally get a place to stay," said Terry Claudell, president of Eden Village.
The all-new Eden Village is an idea to help single homeless people have a place to call home.
"The chronically homeless are those who have been on the streets for 12 months or more," Claudell said.
The first of 23 homes rolled into the village on Tuesday. Each home has 400 square feet, a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a full bath.
"There's over 2,000 folks without homes right now in the Kansas City general area," Claudell said.
The location just off Metropolitan Avenue is the site of a former mobile home park. Claudell said when completed, there will be 23 mini-homes and a community center. Residents will be able to live there for about $300 a month.
"We say it's a hand up instead of a handout," Claudell said.
He said they hope to have the park open by May. Right now, nine of the 23 homes have already been purchased through donations. He said it's just a matter of working with the city on all the details.
"We can make a difference. We can help these folks," Claudell said.
He said that three years ago, when they started the project, the homes were about $35,000 each to buy. Now with inflation, they are almost $60,000.
"It's all by donation," Claudell said.