FINDING OTHERS A TRUE HOME, NOT
DOWNSIZING.
TINY HOMES ARE GETTING
NATIONWIDE ATTENTION.
THEY EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN SHOW,
CALL TINY HOUSE HUNTERS ON
HG-TV.
NOW, YOU CAN FIND TINY HOMES ALL
ACROSS AMERICA, AND IN THE
OZARKS.
THE VILLAGE ISN'T A NORMAL TINY
COMMUNITY THOUGH, THEY WORK TO
HOUSE THE HOMELESS.
FOR SOMEONE THAT'S MOVING AND
TRANSITIONING, THE REALITY OF A
TINY HOME, THE ONES THAT WE SEE
TYPICALLY ON TV, MAYBE AREN'T
LIVEABLE, BUT YOU COULD STAY FOR
THE WEEKEND.
LOOK AROUND THIS HOUSE, WE COULD
ALL SAY I COULD LIVE HERE.
SOMETIMES WE PUT PEOPLE IN
PLACES WHERE WE WOULD NEVER LIVE
AND WE EXPECT THEM TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, SO WE WANTED TO PUT
PEOPLE IN PLACES WHERE WELL
LIVE.
YOU AND I COULD LIVE HERE, WE
WOULD HAVE TO GET RID OF SOME
STUFF WE DON'T REALLY NEED, BUT
WE COULD LIVE HERE.
OUR HOMELESS FRIENDS DON'T HAVE
STUFF THEY DON'T NEED AND THEY
DON'T HAVE SENTIMENTAL STUFF, SO
WE PROVIDE A FULLY FURNISHED
UNIT, IT BECOMES A PLACE THAT
THEY CAN LIVE SUCCESSFULLY IN.
AND SO WE CHOSE THESE HOMES,
BECAUSE THEY FELT A LOT LIKE OUR
HOME, JUST SMALLER.
The Reporter: EDEN VILLAGE IS
LOOKING TO EXPAND.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 32 RESIDENTS
IN THE COMMUNITY, MEANING IT'S
COMPLETELY FULL.
THE GOAL OF EDEN VILLAGE IS
SPRINGFIELD BECOMES THE FIRST IN
AMERICA WHERE.
[INAUDIBLE]
AND WE DO THAT BY BUILDING FOUR
OR FIVE MORE EDEN VILLAGES AND
BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND
SECURE PLACE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE
CURRENTLY SLEEPING ON THE
SIDEWALKS OR UNDER BRIDGES OR
HIDDEN CAMP SITES, STRUGGLING
WITH A DISABILITY.
The Reporter: EDEN VILLAGE IS
FUNDED MOSTLY DISCOVERED
EVIDENCE DONATIONS FROM LOCAL --
BY DONATIONS FROM LOCAL
BUSINESSES OR PEOPLE FEELING
GENEROUS.
WE MOVED OUR FIRST RESIDENT
IN AUGUST OF 2018.
AND KIND OF THE PROGRESS IT'S
BEEN ONE HOME AT A TIME, THEY'VE
BEEN SPONSORED BY LOCAL
BUSINESSES, CHURCHES AND
FAMILIES IN THE HEAR I CAN'T,
THAT BELIEVE IN THE VISION,
BELIEVE IN HOUSING PEOPLE.
The Reporter: THE TENANTS OF
EDEN VILLAGE DO NOT GET A FREE
RIDE THOUGH.
THE EVERY RESIDENT HAS TO PAY
RENT, USING DISABILITY CHECKS.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT,
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
BE SAYING YES IN MY BACKYARD TO.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR ME TO
COME VOLUNTEER, FOR YOU TO COME
SERVE AND FOR YOU TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT
YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE BUILT
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN UNCOMFORTABLE TO TALK
TO WHEN THEY WERE HOLE AGO
CARDBOARD SIGN A YEAR AGO ON THE
STREETS.
The Reporter: THE HOMES ARE
BUILT IN TRAILERS, SO THEY ARE
TECHNICALLY A LITTLE BIGGER THAN
YOUR AVERAGE TINY HOUSE, ABOUT
400 SQUARE FEET.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS BEING SELF SUSTAINING.
The Reporter: AND AGAIN,
THESE HOMES ARE NOT FOR THE
PEOPLE WITH LOWER IN.
COULD.
IT'S ONLY FOR THE HOMELESS WITH
DISABILITIES, MENTAL OR
PHYSICAL.
Jeremy: THAT'S WHAT I LOVE
ABOUT THIS PROJECT, IT IS NOT
GIVING SOMEBODY A HANDOUT,
YOU'RE GIVING THEM A HAND UP.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
CURRENTLY LIVING ON THE STREETS,
HOMELESS.
ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EDEN
VILLAGE IS YOU HAVE TO BE
HOMELESS IN SPRINGFIELD FOR A
YEAR, SO IT'S NOT JUST IF YOU'VE
BEEN HOMELESS FOR A MONTH AND
MAYBE FALLEN ON HARD TIMES.
THESE ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
SERIOUS DOWN ON THEIR LUCK AND
HAVE A MENTAL OR PHYSICAL
DISABILITY.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, AND I
WOULD REALLY LIKE TO URGE THE
CITY COUNCIL TO THINK ABOUT THIS
NEXT TIME THEY'RE VOTING.
I DON'T WANT TO GET ON MY SOAP
BOX, BUT YOU KNOW HOW
PASSIONATELY I FEEL ON THE
PROJECT.
WHENEVER I WENT THERE, I WAS
TOTALLY ALONE, I FELT SAFE AND I
DID NOT -- WHY ANYONE WOULD
THINK THERE'S A REASON NOT TO
MAKE MORE OF NIECE.
Jeremy: YOU CAN SEE FROM THE
FOOTAGE, THESE HOMES ARE
BEAUTIFUL, IMMACULATELY
DECORATED BY LINDA BROWN.
DR. AND LINDA BROWN FOUNDED THE
PROJECT, THEY PUT THEIR HEART
AND SOUL INTO THE PROJECT.
THEY FELT BAD GOING BACK TO
THEIR HOMES WHILE THEIR FRIENDS
WERE ON THE STREETS IN THE
WINTERTIME.
CONTACT THE CITY COUNCILMAN,
THESE ARE AMAZING PROJECTS THAT
ARE HELPING OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S HELPING.
WE'RE TAKING THE INITIATIVE,
WE'RE TAKING THE STEP.
LOCAL PEOPLE HELPING OUR LOCAL
FRIEND WITH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
DISABILITIES.
I'M SO GLAD YOU GOT TO GO AND
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF E.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, BEAUTIFUL
PLACE AND THEY TACK DONATIONS.
MDONATIONS.
Jeremy: STOP BY EDEN VILLAGE
AND YOU CAN SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.