A tiny home village for veterans is coming to London. Here's how it will work

As London continues to live through a homelessness crisis, help is coming for 20 local veterans who have slipped through the cracks. During his state of the city speech on Thursday, Mayor Josh Morgan announced a tiny village for homeless veteran to be built by the Homes for Heroes Foundation on Parkwood Institute land.

Foundation President and CEO Brad Field shared details about how the village will work in an interview with London Morning Host Andrew Brown. 

The following has been edited for length and clarity:

Andrew Brown: What is a tiny village?

Brad Field: What we do is build tiny home villages across Canada. Currently, we have villages in Calgary, Edmonton, and Kingston. The footprint is a 300 sq/ft design for independent living, complete with a resource centre, community gardens, recreation facilities, and on-site caseworkers. It's not just a home; it's full wraparound services. We provide counselling for PTSD, addictions, job training, and more. It's set up very nicely for our Canadian military veterans.

AB: Are the homes themselves standalone structures?

BF: Yes, they are. Each home has an individual entry with its own door, a full kitchen, living room, bedroom, and washroom. Everything you need to live independently. There's also a community laundry facility and a community resource centre where residents come together as peers to share stories and spend time together.

AB: Where did you first set up a tiny home village for veterans?

BF: Calgary was our first build. Our foundation is based there. When we started in 2018, we were addressing a local issue in Calgary, and we didn't know what we didn't know. We built a village in southeast Calgary, and it took off like wildfire. Other municipalities heard about it, and soon we were building in Edmonton. This past year, we opened a village in Kingston. Now, we're looking to expand across Canada into every major centre in need of our services.

AB: I asked where you went first because that would provide the biggest sample size for information. How has it been going in Calgary?

BF: It's been fantastic. We opened in November 2019. That village has a smaller footprint of land, so we have 15 homes there, compared to 20 homes in our other villages. We've achieved close to a 90 per cent success rate of bringing veterans in off the street, providing them with services and a home, and helping them transition to independent civilian life.

AB: How quickly, in your experience, do people move in and then move on to something bigger?

BF: Typically, we aim for the 12-month mark, but there's no set timeline because every veteran works at their own pace. Some move on as quickly as six months, while for others, it might take up to two years.

AB: What kind of specific challenges do veterans face that can lead to homelessness?

BF: Often, it's trauma-based. PTSD, mental health, or addiction issues are high on the list. Providing a roof over their head is actually the easier part. The biggest challenges lie in the social services side.

Many veterans don't have government-issued ID or a bank account. Some have never cooked a meal or done their own laundry. For example, we've had 45 or 50-year-old veterans who've never prepped a meal for themselves. Addressing these life skills and providing job training are crucial for helping them live independently.

AB: When you open in London, how will the process work to determine who gets to live there?

BF: We have criteria in place and work with local social service agencies to get referrals. These might come from shelters, mental health facilities, or other organizations. We conduct an intake process to determine if they're a good fit and if they're ready to be housed.

It's worth noting that not all individuals experiencing homelessness want to be housed. That's rare, but it does happen. We also ensure that residents are prepared to live by our code of conduct, which includes no drug or alcohol abuse within the village.

AB: Why is this something you wanted to be involved in, Brad?

BF: I've been a long-time supporter of the military and veterans. About 15 or 16 months ago, I had the opportunity to lead this foundation, and I was super excited. It's a chance to give back to the people who serve our country. I also have family members who served in the military, so it's a personal passion of mine.

AB: Just quickly before we go, how soon do you think this could be up and running in London?

BF: If the stars align and we get everyone on board, including the federal and provincial governments, we're aiming for shovels in the ground by late 2025. If all goes well, we could be open by 2026.