Bettering Bellevue
Photo provided by Carlton Elijah of Legendary Fire Media
Our Bellevue homes, and those who live there, have a special place in our hearts. If you’re not familiar, we have a stretch of six houses toward the eastern end of Bellevue Avenue that were built in 2017.
We like to think these homes provide an infusion of color and liveliness in a neighborhood that is plagued with more than its fair share of run-down buildings. Conveniently located near a bus line, grocery store, and support services, these homes meet our tenants’ need for affordable, dignified, supportive housing while simultaneously uplifting an area of the city that is lacking investment.
In the last six years, the Bellevue community has simply flourished. It represents everything we hoped for in starting A Tiny Home for Good.
No amount of support can guarantee that people who live next-door to each other become neighbors in the full sense of the word. But that’s why it is so special to see the bonds that have formed between the Bellevue Boys.
Together they take pride in maintaining their lawns and gardens, they stop by to visit one another, and they collectively derive a lot of joy from sustaining the feral cat population.
Simply put, they make the neighborhood a better place to live.
That’s why we picked Bellevue to be the site of our very first outdoor, open-invite dinner at one of our properties.
The timing was perfect – not only did we get gorgeous weather, but we got to show off the progress of several projects around the property. You can read about those in greater detail below.
Stay tuned for more of these events throughout the summer!
Hosting Space
The Bellevue tenants always have a knack for when to break out the grill. Just earlier this year, we shared an impromptu cookout in which they all pooled ingredients to share food with one another.
We see it every year and have come to expect it. So, we thought, what better way to use extra green space than to create a permanent hosting area right in the heart of Bellevue?
Devin worked hard to build sturdy picnic tables, hang string lights, and install a shared grill, transforming the space into the ultimate venue for a party.
Wi-Fi and Cameras
Despite this seemingly idyllic setting, there is occasionally a disturbance in the neighborhood that is cause for alarm. In the interest of our tenants’ safety and well-being, we have begun installing security cameras and wi-fi at all of our properties. Not only does this provide peace of mind and act as a deterrent, but internet access is such a crucial tool for empowerment and connection in the modern age. Tenants without cell phones also receive landlines.
We’re grateful to be able to provide these services moving forward.
Jungle Control
A few weeds and untended land can produce a jungle of overgrowth faster than you might think. That’s what happened behind the Bellevue homes over the last couple of years.
With the help of an excavation crew, we tore out the formidable network of vines, logs, stumps, and thickets.
Devin and Eddie, our maintenance technician and Bellevue resident, respectively, then worked together to prepare the ground for grass seed. The new grass, nurtured by our tenants and groundskeepers, will do its part to keep weeds from taking over.
The trap has been set. Chris and Eddie patiently waiting for the fish heads and cat nip to catch the attention of their feline friends.
Cat Patrol
Over the years, small acts of kindness from our tenants have led to a growing number of cats making themselves at home on Bellevue.
Thanks to friends of the organization, Chris and Lori, and the fellas, they’re taking an active interest in controlling the population. To date, they have caught over 15 cats, brought them into the shelter to be spayed/neutered, and then released them back at Bellevue.
Garden Season
Bellevue is simply blossoming thanks in part to Jasmine volunteering to help our gang get their gardens planted.
Each garden holds a different assortment of plants: spinach, beans, lettuce, and cucumbers in one; flowers, ferns, and succulents in another; and peppers, squash, and tomatoes in a third.
Some plants came to us as starters, courtesy of the Brady Farm, while others were gifted by generous donors or cultivated from seeds by our tenants.
Their growth in a short period of time has been stunning! Not unlike this little community of ours…