Volunteers start on tiny homes just for women in Whittier Heights

SEATTLE -- Construction is underway on a new city-sanctioned tiny home village that is just for women. It's going up in the Whittier Heights neighborhood in Seattle.

In an old Seattle City Light lot, volunteers are building the very first of 16 tiny homes that'll just be for women. Each one is about 120 square feet.

About a dozen community volunteers are helping build the tiny homes this weekend as part of what organizers call, "Women for Women Build."

The Whittier Heights Village will be operated and managed by Low Income Housing Institute and will house about 20 homeless women.

"It’s an opportunity to help particularly women in vulnerable situations," said Josh Castle with Low Income Housing Institute.

The homes will all have heat, electricity, a shared kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities.

Supporters say this is a step in the right direction to help solve Seattle's homelessness crisis.

"I've just been really fascinated with the use of tiny houses as part of the homeless solution," volunteer Sally Jebson said. "Realizing it's not the whole solution, but it's certainly part of it. So I just wanted to help."

"Part of this is to give them a step up. It’s not a final answer. These are temporary houses. But it makes their tomorrow better," said volunteer Melinda Nichols --who's been a carpenter for 46 years.

Some people who lives right next to the new Whittier Heights Village are open to the idea of tiny homes.

"I think this is a good start. Some people say there is a better way to do this. I think that if we try and wait for a perfect solution, we’re never make progress," said neighbor Ron Paananea. "Get 20 to 24 women off the street. Get a roof over their head. Get them some help. Hopefully make some progress. "

Right now in Seattle, there are seven other tiny house villages. Six of them are sanctioned by the city.

City leaders say the tiny homes are a temporary solution. Case managers work with tiny house village residents to help them transition into permanent housing.

The City of Seattle says there are 200 tiny houses total now. And over the last two years, the city says it's been able to transition about 300 people into permanent housing from the tiny house villages.

"As the homelessness crisis continues, the city will look at all options to be able to provide shelter for vulnerable people," City of Seattle spokesman Will Lemke said.

Volunteers will be at the Whittier Heights location all weekend, even on Easter. The scheduled move-in date is Mother's Day.