MESA, AZ — A Mesa tiny home community designed to house disabled people experiencing homelessness is on track for a February ribbon cutting, with house frames now taking shape at the construction site.
Eden Village will provide 21 tiny homes for disabled people living on the streets. The project is entirely donation-driven — no tax dollars are involved.
Framer Sammy Hernandez said he did not know what he was building when he took the job. Now that he does, he is glad to be part of it.
"I do like it a lot. I enjoy it. I see what they're doing. I think it's good. It's a good plan for people and helping others," Hernandez said.
All labor and building materials are being donated by Blanford Homes, a builder in the Valley for nearly 50 years. Blanford Homes spokesperson Lori Anderson said the project aligns with the company's values.
"It's an underserved population. It's a growing population. We agree nobody should sleep on the streets. When we heard about that mission, it just fit right into our wheelhouse," Anderson said.
Homeless advocates say Arizona does not have nearly enough housing to meet demand. Beth Kunkel, Eden Village of Arizona's community coordinator, is set to become the community's on-site manager after graduating from Grand Canyon University in a couple of months. She said the need is visible across the Phoenix area.
"It's easy to get really discouraged in the Phoenix area, driving around and seeing all the people on the streets and just seeing such a great need," Kunkel said.
She said Eden Village fills a gap that few organizations address.
"There aren't that many organizations tailored specifically to that disabled population. So, it's really exciting to be part of this new model that's doing a radically different type of service for these people," Kunkel said.
Organizers say they will begin taking applications in December. Planning is also underway for a second Eden Village location, with project planners working with the city of Mesa to identify a site.
