Portland looks into micro homes for the homeless

The city of Portland, Oregon, is hoping to offer its estimated 2,000 homeless residents a safer place to spend the night: micro homes.

According to Josh Alpert, director of strategic initiatives for Mayor Charlie Hales, a task force will be meeting early next month "to assess the viability of using tiny homes as a potential for housing homeless people."

If all goes according to plan, Alpert envisions a pilot program of ten structures, erected on four city-owned lots spread out over the city.

He hopes the first micro-community can be established by February 2015.

"Before people can get back on their feet and take advantage of job training and drug and alcohol counselling, they need a place to live," County Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury said Wednesday. "This helps accomplish that."

Cost and building codes are the most significant factors in building small homes as alternatives to emergency shelters.

A TechDwell prototype of the structures being proposed can sleep two, includes a washroom and kitchen, and should cost about $20,000 to build. The 200-square-foot micro homes can be built on-site in just days, within 45 days of an order.

"Because the tiny houses offer dwellers more privacy than big shelters, they may appeal to people who are reluctant to give up the sense of independence that comes from living on the street," wrote TIME's Anita Hamilton. "The micro homes could also be cheaper than temporary emergency shelters, which cost up to $16,000 a year and lack plumbing."

The tiny homes will be rented out for $250 and $350 a month, making the project self-sustaining.

"Half the rents we collect from these homes will go into a fund to fund the next microcommunity that will help the next set of people that need help," Michael Withey of Micro Community Concepts told KPTV.

Withey first pitched the idea of micro homes for the homeless to city council in June. The idea quickly gained momentum, and has since been moved to the city's "front burner."

The startup costs of such an endeavour: about $1 million.

"Whether it's city money, state money or federal money, we’re going to try and get creative and figure out all the places where we can bring money into this to try different kinds of pilots for different kinds of housing needs," Alpert said.

According to Alpert, "If there is a potential to get even one person off the streets, it’s worth trying."