KKTV – Teacher-based, tiny home villages will be built on District 2 school sites to help combat Colorado Springs housing crisis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Two tiny home villages will be built on the school sites of District 2 for teachers, to help combat the housing crisis in Colorado Springs. WeFortify, a “social impact nonprofit” that builds small communities, said the plan came into play in 2024 when they opened up the new “noble division.” Seventy-two units will be built for these teachers to live in.

WeFortify said back in 2023, Harrison School District 2 asked for a tour of the Working Fusion at Mill Street, another small village community for young adults ages 18-25. The district then asked the nonprofit to build one for them. The noble villages will provide a “small revenue stream” to help support the missional villages. They’re hoping to provide this assistance to police officers and CNAs in the medical community in the future.

“We’re supporting our city,” said Shelley Jensen, CEO and founder of WeFortify. “At the same time, we’re preventing homelessness. It’s like a win-win.”

Working Fusion contains a colorful palette of tiny houses within the village, and flowers stand blooming for the summer. WeFortify said their design of the small village was intentional in every way, and they’re currently adding more houses to the equation.

“We have a standard here, that we won’t put anyone into a home or build a community that we wouldn’t put our friends or family in,” Jensen said.

The nonprofit doesn’t just give these young adults homes, they focus on continuing the growth of these individuals. Therapists will come to the village to do one-on-one counseling sessions. WeFortify also requires residents to take a life skills education curriculum, along with training for living wage positions.

“Without all of those pillars, it’s really hard to make it in today’s society,” Jensen said. “And I kind of liken it to a chair. If you hand someone a chair, and it doesn’t have all four legs, it doesn’t matter which leg is gone, that person is going to fall. And so, we’re really proud of our programming.”

WeFortify has witnessed many heartfelt achievements from their tiny home residents in Working Fusion. They had three young adults graduate early while living there.

“The second young adult moved on after graduating from Pikes Peak State College, and she’s getting her bachelor’s in psychology,” Jensen said. “And she wants to come back and be a counselor here, which we’re so excited for her, because she’s amazing.”

This building experience for Jensen has been one of joy.

“I feel super happy when we bring someone into the village,” Jensen said. “And they say, ‘Oh, my home is so beautiful, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ You know, and they’ve been living in their car.”

Read the full article and watch the video here: https://www.kktv.com/2024/06/03/teacher-based-tiny-home-villages-will-be-built-district-2-school-sites-help-combat-colorado-springs-housing-crisis/