The tiny home villages are supported by Panza, doing business as (dba), New Horizon Communities, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Each village has on-site staff including:

• Program Supervisor

• 2 Case Managers

• Custodian/Maintenance worker

• Social Work Interns

All of our villages go through what is called "Coordinated Entry" in each local county. Coordinated Entry is a process to ensure all homeless housing solutions are coordinated, and act as a "one stop shop" for people.

Olympia:
Contact the Thurston County Housing Hotline at 1-844-628-7343.

Orting:
Contact the Pierce County Housing Hotline at 2-1-1.

Shelton:
Contact Crossroads Housing at (360) 427-6919.

• We house chronically homeless adults (homeless for 1+ year and have a documented disability).

• Orting and Shelton - must have veteran status.

• Single adults (no couples or children).

• Must meet Housing Authority requirements (no violent crime within 12 months, no lifetime sex offender registration, no arson).

• At or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Olympia is at 30% AMI. This is to ensure we are housing the most vulnerable community members.
  

We use several evidence-based models to support our residents.

Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). PSH is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to improve health conditions, reduce or eliminate substance use, and improve housing stability among participants.

Permanent = people can stay as long as they want, which for some people is the best environment for them to thrive in. There are no time limits, residents sign leases and pay rent.

Supportive = supportive staff to help navigate different resources and services in the community as well as help with day to day living.

The Housing First approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or attending to health issues. Housing First's mission is to house people quickly and with as little barriers as possible. We don't look at rental history, credit scores, or other barriers that prevented people from housing in the past. We try to screen people in, instead of out.

Recovery Housing provides a clean and sober living environment for residents. A person's environment can be a major contributor to relapse, and we strive to provide a safe place for those in recovery. We understand that recovery is not always a straight line, and work with residents every step of the way and provide support for substance use disorder.

Tiny Home:

• Extra long twin bed with linen, blankets, pillow, and storage underneath

• .75 bathroom (Olympia has showers in the community center)

• Closet

• Desk and chair

• Full electricity (lights, heater, heat lamp in bathroom)

• Several windows for ventilation

• Porch and individual lawns

Community Center:

• Laundry facilities

• Extra bathing facilities

• Full double kitchen (2 ovens, 2 stoves, 2 microwaves, 2 dishwashers, etc.) with community pots, pans, dishes, and utensils.

• Dry food storage as well as multiple fridges and freezers

• TV room that doubles as an extra curricular room

• Large dining area

• Computer center

• Rotating library

• Staff offices

• Private room for off-site providers and meetings

​Olympia:
Year Built: 2013
Total project cost: $3.05 Million
Funding Sources:
WA State Housing Trust Fund - $1.5 Million
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through city of Olympia- $699,000
Thurston County - $170,000
Community donations including Nisqually Tribe, Chehalis Tribe, and individuals - $215,000

Orting:
Year built: 2021
Total project cost: $5.5 Million
Funding Sources:
WA State Housing Trust Fund - $3.26 M
Federal Home Loan Bank - $800,000
Pierce County - $600,000
United Way - $50,000

Shelton:
Year built: 2023
Project total - $6.5 Million
Funding Sources:
Housing Trust Fund -$4.7 Million
Federal Home Loan Bank - $1 Million
Mason County -$190,000
Norcliffe Foundation - $15,000

Case Management:
The Case Managers work one-on-one with residents to help them achieve their goals. Services are voluntary and client centered. The Case Manager assists residents with overall care coordination and access to services including enrolling in benefits, locating primary care physicians, scheduling appointments, providing transportation, job training, life skills-building, and connecting them to many other resources and services. We also partner with local agencies to provide wrap around services.

Behavioral Health:
We have contracted with Licensed Social Workers to provide on-site supervision of graduate level interns. These interns provide one-on-one counseling as well as group therapies for our residents. This provides greater accessibility to care for our residents.

Housing Stability:
Our staff work with our residents on the barriers and obstacles that led them to be unhoused. Our Program Supervisors also work with residents on housing stability. They clearly explain the lease and rules to residents, as well as work with them on rent and create payment plans when needed. One of our main goals is housing stability, and we work to keep residents housed.

Other Services:

• Individual and group therapy sessions

• Community meals

• Regular hair cuts

• Nursing interns to provide vital services and education

• Life skill classes

• Music therapy

• Employment workshops

• Gardening

• Participation in community events and public speaking

• Veteran support groups

• Recovery meetings

Yes, all residents pay 30% of their income in rent. This 30% is based off of the standard for affordable housing.

We receive Project-Based Vouchers from our local housing authorities (Housing Authority of Thurston County, Pierce County Housing Authority, and Bremerton Housing Authority) which supplement resident's rent amount. Project-Based Vouchers work very similar to regular Section-8 vouchers, except that they stay with our project. However, once a resident lives with us a for a year they are able to take that voucher like a regular Section-8 voucher and move off site, if desired.

Yes, residents sign a lease and follow a Code of Conduct. We abide by all fair housing and landlord tenant laws.

It is a large misconception that people experiencing homelessness are prone to a life of drugs and crime. Someone who is experiencing homelessness is no more likely to commit a violent crime than someone who is housed (the only exception to this is tent encampments). In fact, a person experiencing homelessness is more likely to be the victim of a violent crime, especially women.

Violence is an extremely RARE occurrence at our villages, just as it can be in any other type of residential community.

We have a zero-tolerance policy for assault and violence. If a resident is found to have assaulted someone, they will be asked to leave.

We provide Recovery Housing and do not allow drugs or alcohol at the villages. We understand that addiction is a disease and that relapse can be part of the recovery process. We strive to provide a safe and supportive living environment for people who are in all stages of recovery.

We have seen many people become clean and sober after living at our villages with a roof over their head, supportive staff, and peer mentorship.

If someone relapses or is struggling, our staff will work with them to figure out a plan for recovery. If a resident’s behavior is affecting the village community and it has become clear they are not dedicated to being clean and sober, they will eventually be asked to leave. This is the LAST resort as we strive to provide a supportive atmosphere and to help keep people housed.

Unfortunately, the need is great and we get asked all of the time how to start communities across the country. Please see some resources below on starting a community.

How we started Quixote Village

A "How-To" from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

​Tiny House Toolbox from SquareOne Villages

​More resources on starting a tiny home village

Tours can be scheduled Monday - Friday by emailing info@nhcommunities.org.

We ask for a $20 donation for tours. However, no one will be turned away. As a small nonprofit, everything helps and we believe we are stronger as a community!

We’d like to remind everyone that our village are private residences. Our Community Centers are where our residents cook and relax. Please respect our residents by not showing up outside of scheduled tour times.