Tiny Houses: Tangible and affordable results in Washington State

The Seattle King County REALTORS® Board of Directors recently heard a presentation from the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) on the unique ways tiny house villages fill the gap for transitional housing throughout Washington state.

Bradford Gerber, Tiny House Village Special Projects Manager at LIHI, explained how tiny house villages provide a highly affordable alternative to other housing support programs due to the low costs of siting and production per housing unit.

The total cost to build one unit is roughly $2,700 with transportation, paint, and other externalities.
Information provided by the Low Income Housing Institute

LIHI currently sponsors eight tiny house villages in Seattle, two in Tacoma, and one in Olympia.

Features of these villages include hygiene stations, supportive services, communal spaces and facilities, management, and 24/7 security. LIHI explains that these services make tiny house villages a preferable alternative to other shelter options for those in transition. According to LIHI, the average stay in a village for clients is six months before they find other housing.

Information provided by the Low Income Housing Institute

Seattle King County REALTORS® is interested in pursuing solutions to our low housing supply crisis and in supporting programs that produce tangible results for housing needs in 2021.