A lot of us fail to realize a simple problem that plagues nearly every city and town across America, where homelessness has risen dramatically in many areas. Case in point, Madison, WI where it rose seven percent over the past four years. With more folks pushed out of their homes and onto the street comes a stronger demand for a solution and Occupy Madison Inc took it upon themselves to work with the system to get permission to build a tiny village of sorts to house the homeless.
With just nine homes, it’s not going to solve the problem but it does signal a move in the right direction, and a step toward a more resourceful use for tiny houses in society. The project, known as “OM” for Occupy Madison. They will offer a day center, showers, toilets, and a community garden for those who live here.
Getting to this point wasn’t easy either – as they point out in their statement how the city pretty much forced them into submission when it came to submitting to zoning laws and ordinances. Regardless of the uphill battle they initially faced, once they began working with the city they took an upfront approach and gained the support and appreciation of the community.
On November 15 they had a formal ribbon cutting, but they still have more work to do despite these gains. Although a private donor funded a large amount of the project, they still need to raise more funds if they’re going to complete the vision of flower boxes, gardens, and tiny colored houses. We look forward to seeing how they progress, and watching for other communities that follow their lead. While some places opt for spikes installed in the recessed doorways to keep homeless away, other cities try to actively find a solution instead of a deterrent to the problem.
Courtesy Revolution News