Looking at Veteran's Community Project Village for homeless veterans six months on

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - About six months ago, U.S. veterans experiencing homelessness started moving into a unique property in the Jeff-Vander- Lou neighborhood.

The Veterans Community Project campus includes a village of tiny houses for veterans, and an Outreach Center to provide walk-in support services for any Veteran in the St. Louis Metro Area.

Of the 50 tiny homes set to be part of the Veterans Community Project campus, eight homes are complete and five are already being occupied.

"Yes, we've been very lucky in the last six months to have our first five residents and spend the time helping those individuals work on the five pillars that we promote," said Rebecca Tallman, Executive Director Veterans Community Project on Total Information A.M. Thursday. "It's been really exciting to see those veterans get that dignity back and be able to work on the things that are going to make permanent housing a permanent solution for them."

Tallman says these tiny homes give veterans a sense of ownership, as transitioning out of the military can be tough.

"Being a veteran myself, I wish there was something like this when I was going through my transition of service," said Tallman.

The campus is available to house veterans so they can find a community, get help from professionals, and work toward their journey of independence.

Among the help they provide include resources at the Outreach Center, which provides plenty of services to veterans regardless of service time and type, discharge status, etc.

"We do so many things there. You don't have to be financially unstable. You don't have to be housing insecure to be able to walk in and receive services," said Tallman. "We can help with mental health services, income support, we can help with case management and so many different things."

Tallman says the average stay for a veteran in the houses has been around 400 days, but it ultimately depends.

"We've had someone in our Kansas City flagship location for as little as four months to get back on their feet all the way to close to two years." said Tallman. "But we have found that it's all about giving a hand up. It's all about that dignity and how can we make sure that we're supporting these individuals for that next step?"