DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE*
Applications for the Tiny Homes program will be available at the World Building (11745 Rosa Parks) from Tuesday until Friday, December 26 – 29, between 9am and 4pm as well as Tuesday and Wednesday, January 2 and 3, between 9am. and 4pm.
- Cass Community Social Services is in the process of building 25 different Tiny Homes (250-400sf) in Detroit, MI.
- Each home will be on its own lot (roughly 30 x 100 feet) and everyone will be on a foundation. Most will have a front porch or rear deck to increase the living space.
- Many of the residents were formerly homeless, incarcerated, aged out of the foster care system or equivalent, and/or are senior citizens. All of the residents qualified for the program by being low-income.
- At first, the residents rent their homes (one year at a time). Anyone who remains in the house and program for seven years will be give the opportunity to own the home.
Click here to order Rev. Fowler’s book, Tiny Homes in a Big City.
To have Rev. Fowler come speak to a group about the project, please e-mail her at ffowler@casscommunity.org or call 313.883-2277, ext. 201. To arrange for a tour of the Tiny House e-mail ccumcac@aol.com.
Tiny Homes Detroit are being built by both professional tradespeople (under the supervision of a general contractor) and volunteer teams who will manage the finishing jobs – tiling, drywalling, painting, gardening, building decks and erecting fences.
If you are interested in hearing more about the project or making a financial contribution, contact:
- Rev. Fowler at ffowler@casscommunity.org
- Speak to Sue Pethoud to volunteer at spethoud@casscommunity.org.
- If you would like to donate building materials (bricks, paint, countertops, etc.) reach out to Rev. Fowler at ffowler@casscommunity.org.
I think this is a wonderful program for our city! How can I donate?
Visit our website http://www.casscommunity.org. There is a donate button on the first page.
Any plans to complete more than the 25 tiny homes since so much interest? Wondering if anyone had ever considered high school students from Detroit public schools building a home? They do this in Fredericksburg, Virginia where students learn plumbing, electrical, drafting, carpentry, etc and build a large home which takes a full school year to complete. The house is then sold and profits go toward purchasing next year’s lot. Message me at cevans1982@aol.com if you would like more information on their program. I think it would be perfect for Detroit students working to build additional tiny homes and learn vocational skills at the same time.
How can a person apply to live in one of these?
Applications are currently closed. We do not anticipate opening them again.
In addition to Tiny Homes Detroit, Cass Community Social Services offers a variety of different housing programs that combat homelessness.
Had the pleasure of meeting Faith Fowler when we had our Hep Homes—she is truly a person dedicated to helping those with special needs. Congratulations on your Tiny Homes! S.Dalfonso
I must also really commend her on the marvellous work she is doing.
https://lindagist.com/
About how much does it cost to build one of these homes?
Please check out the information on line. There are two great videos outlining all of the costs.
she is really a wonderful person with great personality
Is this tiny house service only in Detroit?
Yes though we hope it is widely replicated.
This is fantastic. We desperately need this on Long Island too.
hello my company would like to volunteer on building, painting, cleaning, please advise with more information on doing this.
Please Contact Stacy at sleigh@casscommunity.org
This is a big dream for me, so glad to see that the D is stepping up 😎😍😍
Where can I go to learn more about replicating this in my area?
There is a book available (Tiny Homes in a Big City) that chronicles the entire process. Please visit our website http://www.ccpublishinghouse.org to order your copy.
I want to start a similar project here in Cleveland, OH, but I have no clue where to start. My biggest concerns would be acquiring land for the project(s) and the city politics to get such a project approved. What suggestions do you have?
Check out our book – Tiny Homes in a Big City – available at http://www.ccpublishinghouse.org. It chronicles all the steps an the reasons behind them.
Hello this project is amazing and I want to replicate it back home but I was wondering to know it is any special link to see or learn more about the average cost of each tiny just to make an idea to replay it and the most important consider the cons and pros to carry a project like this to another place I really enjoyed seeing the videos and admire the efforts and good job that all of you has been doing God bless you. Thank you
All of that information can be found in the book, Tiny Homes in a Big City. It is available throughwww.ccpublishinghouse.org.
I used to live in Detroit I haven’t been there in 6 years but my neighborhood where I come from I lived in brightmoor I was hoping that the tiny-house community would come there so I can come back home and live in the neighborhood where I grew up
I’m a journeyman carpenter and wanted to volunteer on these projects. Who can I contact?
Homelessness is a problem that affects many cities within American and the world. Recently, cities like South-Los Angeles, California have started initiatives to create affordable housing in the form of tiny houses. Programs like Cass Community Tiny Homes in Detroit can be applied to big cities that have some budge to work with affordable housing and section 8 housing as well as working with non-profit and volunteer organizations to present a rent-to-own living option (Cass Community Social Services 2018). People who participate in these types of programs have to follow specific guidelines like finding/maintaining a job, meeting with financial councilors and keeping up with their physical and mental health via services offered by the same program. Moreover, tiny home communities can be an affordable and alternative way to prevent homelessness and help people transition from homelessness into having stable living conditions.
References
Cass Community Social Services. (2018). Tiny homes detroit. Retrieved from https://casscommunity.org/tinyhomes/
Her work is really marvellous.
This small house is very nice and comfortable. Many people who want to have a small house that is comfortable for their residence. This will really make them very comfortable with their small family. Housing in a safe neighborhood will make them more happy. biesterbos.nl
I wish they had something like this in Calif. Im in trouble and this would be perfect instead of me & my dogs being homeless. The rent & bills are so high here. I work but part time and school part time. Not making enough. What a special person to get this going.
This is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen, taking care of seniors with little to no money…..why can’t our government understand that not everyone is rich and wealthy yet we are all still Americans. I want no hand out from anyone yet I am in the same position as being poor even though I worked and was married all my life, at 75 who ever said these are the golden years I would like to kick this butt. If you have any info on a project like this that is back east somewhere could you email me? I so want of out Chicago for it is to violent for me and costly. I will take anywhere back east at this point. Thank you, Sherry
I am looking for Zoning documents and/or Zoning Ordinances permitting Tiny Home developments or references to permit such relative to land usage. Great stories. I am on the Planning Commission for Lincoln Charter Township in Stevensville MI and we are discussing Tiny Homes. Thank You.