On October 19th, LIHI and Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ in Tukwila celebrated the opening of Miracle Village, a tiny house village for homeless people located at 14925 Interurban Ave S., Tukwila, WA 98188. Speakers included Tukwila Mayor Allan Ekberg, Tukwila City Councilmember Kate Kruller, Pastor Henry Jenkins of Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ, community leader and former Tukwila City Councilmember Joe Duffie, and LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee.
“Heated and insulated tiny houses are a great solution for people living outdoors, much better than trying to survive in a cold wet tent. We are delighted to open the first tiny house village in the city of Tukwila! The tiny house village concept has spread throughout the country as it is a proven model for transitioning people successfully into permanent housing,” said Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director.
“It is impossible to love God without loving people. We at the Miracle Temple COGIC are thrilled to host this tiny house village to serve God’s children who are unhoused in Tukwila. We are so grateful to the neighbors and volunteers, LIHI, City of Tukwila and King County for making Miracle Village possible, truly a miracle for our community.” said Pastor Henry Jenkins of Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ.
More information on Miracle Village:
Miracle Village includes 28 heated and insulated tiny houses providing enhanced shelter, community, safety, and a path to permanent housing for 35 people currently living unsheltered in Tukwila, along with a community kitchen, a hygiene facility with laundry, showers and bathrooms, an operations and security office, a case management office, and a cedar fence surrounding it. The village has 24/7 operational and security staff and onsite case management to help residents obtain permanent housing, employment, health care, IDs, and more. The village is operated by the Low Income Housing Institute and sponsored by Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ. King County is providing funding and the village program is overseen and supported by the City of Tukwila. Students from a local pre-apprenticeship program built most of the tiny houses and neighbors and volunteers helped set up the village throughout October.
Miracle Village is the 17th tiny house village developed by LIHI across the Puget Sound region. The City of Tukwila will join Skyway, Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle, and Bellingham in offering the village program as a proven effective stepping-stone from homelessness to permanent housing for homeless individuals and couples. A Community Advisory Council of neighbors and local businesses meets monthly to provide oversight, input and support for the village program.
www.LIHI.org
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