PORT ANGELES — A community of tiny homes for homeless veterans is still coming to Clallam County — maybe just not as soon as anticipated.
Pennies for Quarters, a nonprofit that aims to transition homeless veterans out of transient lives, terminated a contract for a property on West Lauridsen Boulevard in Port Angeles two weeks ago.
An environmental study revealed additional costs beyond the asking price. It also would delay the project by about a year, founder and President Matthew Rainwater said.
“[The organization and its donors] could not sit by and make our veterans wait that long for the much-needed help they deserve,” Rainwater said in a news release.
However, a couple of properties have piqued the organization’s interest lately, he said. Along with affordability and time, one of the organization’s top priorities for a parcel of land is space. The property must be able to fit 40 tiny homes and a central building.
Why tiny homes?
The very factor that might turn some people off from tiny homes — the “tiny” factor — might actually work in veterans’ favor. Tiny homes in a neighborhood can offer both community and privacy, socializing and retreat. They’re also relatively inexpensive to build, ranging between $10,000 and $15,000.
“Traditional housing, with a big room and many beds, doesn’t work for veterans,” Rainwater said.
He noted that veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries need a place where they can recover and keep their dignity, especially during the rough times.
The community’s central building would offer group and individual therapy, financial counseling, a bank of computers intended mostly for educational or vocational use and chapel Sunday for different religions.
Rainwater originally hoped to build the first 10 tiny homes by the end of the year, but that goal will need more time now, he said.
Still, Pennies for Quarters should be able to reach its goal earlier than if it had purchased the West Lauridsen property, he said.
For more information or to donate, visit www. penniesforquarters.org.
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Reporter Sarah Sharp can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at ssharp@peninsula dailynews.com.
