The Long Haul
THIS GUY
Mid-2017, we started building a stretch of tiny homes on Bellevue. Pretty early on in that project, this guy started showing up. Saw we were building and just wanted to be involved. A cantankerous sort, but a hard worker.
This guy rolled up on his bike each morning, willing to do whatever needed doing as best as he could. After weeks of this, we were packing up for the day and I offered him a ride home. Threw his bike in the back of the truck and headed for the North Side.
We pulled up to a not-so-great house, but that’s not-so-unique around the city so I didn’t think much of it. I grabbed his bike from the back and watched as he didn’t make his way into the house, but around the back where a small tent was set up. He said a friend owned the property, and was letting him live there.
The next day, he moved in with me. I’m not going to lie and tell you it was all smooth sailing, but no one could question this guy’s loyalty or commitment. Of all our volunteers, he’s the only one who kept showing up every day to help build through the winter. Having entrenched himself in our work, we were proud to have this guy become the first tenant of our Bellevue homes in the spring of 2018.
You might be tempted to think that’s a happy ending, but it’s only a happy moment. If you’ve ever known another person, you’ve probably learned that people are complicated. People who find themselves without housing are often extra complicated. No one winds up homeless on their own.
THE REAL WORK
What this story doesn’t illustrate is that this guy, like all of us, has a complex backstory. A fully formed adult living in a tent in someone’s backyard…it doesn’t take details to know that this guy has been through some shit.
So he moved into his own tiny home and that is worth celebrating. But, that’s also when the real work began.
New tenants moved into the other units. Suddenly he had neighbors. For most people, having their own four walls to retreat to is enough to keep them out of trouble. But this guy couldn’t be contained by his house and started to step on toes. Loudly opinionated and a bit of a hot head, he became a problem.
For a while, we were able to intervene, mediate and resolve issues, but after a year or so the damage had been done. It was clear he had burned bridges with his neighbors and could no longer be trusted to live there.
Fortunately by this point, we had a new unit open up on a quieter street with fewer neighbors. Not willing to give up on him, we decided to try again.
Throughout this time, he continued to work with me doing odd jobs and supporting our building efforts. A difficult man, but one who to this day wants nothing more than to be useful, and that I relate to and respect down to my core.
This second chance was the right move for everyone. Of course, there were still hiccups, but they lessened in their severity. This guy got into more of a routine, more settled. While he still butted heads with people, he found where he fit into the fabric of this community and you know what? He’s a thread that makes us stronger. That we wouldn’t be whole without.
RELATIONSHIPS: A LIFE AND DEATH MATTER
A few years ago, this guy fell terribly ill. If it wasn’t for our relationship with him, we probably would have found him dead in his house. But, we were able to get him to the hospital before it was too late. After a month in the hospital and some time in PT, he recovered and was able to return home.
Sometimes life kicks the stuffing out of you. This guy, as you can probably tell by now, is not one to go quietly. But he was forced to slow down. He still does a lot, probably more than the average man for he’s someone who needs to lend a hand. But, there’s an air of happiness about him now that didn’t exist before. I would venture to say, he’s finally found some balance in his life. He’s the proud papa of two cats. He has work available to sustain him. And a community of people who add meaning to his life. These days he’s more likely to talk your ear off than pick a fight.
It’s been a hell of a journey, and it’s not over yet.
MORE THAN A LANDLORD
Now, if we were in the business of landlording, this guy likely would have been evicted at the first sign of trouble. But A Tiny Home for Good exists because there are a number of people in our community who… “have been through some shit,” and for one reason or another find themselves homeless.
A Tiny Home for Good is impactful because it is the most unique of entities: a non-profit landlord. This is important because:
We exist exclusively to house those facing homelessness. To that end, we don’t view our tenants as sources of income, but as people we are trying to keep housed.
We are more flexible, more understanding, and more willing to work with tenants to keep them housed when inevitable challenges arise–like not being able to make rent payments, disagreements with neighbors, or navigating health issues.
We control rent and are able to base it off of each tenant’s income ensuring it remains affordable.
There is no limit on length of stay. Tenants sign year-long leases and can renew them for as long as the unit continues to serve their needs.
We are in control of maintenance and property upkeep ensuring units are dignified places to live.
This is, unfortunately, not the norm. Most homeless service providers rely on placing their clients in private market rentals where the landlord can charge market rate rent, often for housing that is in poor condition. Beyond that, a typical landlord has no personal interest in the tenant so when trouble arises, they’re quick to get the boot. While developing, owning, and maintaining property is expensive and difficult to scale, having control of our properties allows us to partner with our tenants in a way most homeless service providers cannot.
There are dozens of stories we could share that highlight the complex difficulties surrounding the people we serve, and just how far our commitment goes to keeping them housed. Ending homelessness requires this steadfast and long-term commitment, just as much as it requires more units of dignified housing. We need your help. Share this story. Connect us to decision-makers. Make a gift if you can.
Thank you for supporting this work and this community. We wouldn’t be here without you.