Instead of demanding sobriety upfront, one city-led community is offering housing first, then support for recovery.
Gateway Recovery is a new 46-unit tiny-home village being built in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's a city-led initiative meant to give people who are homeless and dealing with substance use a safe place to start fresh. The city, along with support from Bernalillo County and $5 million in opioid settlement money, is backing the project, according to KRQE.
Most shelters make people meet a long list of rules before they can get in. A few examples are being sober, having a job, or passing a background check, but Gateway Recovery chooses to take a different approach.
People will be welcomed into housing first, then offered support to move toward sobriety, as reported in a Good Good Good article. "We know when people have 18 to 24 months of sobriety, they are more likely to stay in recovery," said Gilbert Ramirez, who leads the city's health, housing, and homelessness department.
The tiny-home village includes 42 single homes and four for couples. Residents can stay for up to two years while getting access to services like therapy, help finding longer-term housing, and job training. Meals, laundry, and rides to medical appointments will also be available on-site, along with two community rooms, a dog park, and a garden.
The U.S. Department of Energy says energy efficiency in a tiny home can be significantly more effective than a standard house. That can mean lower bills and more stability, especially for people who are trying to get back on their feet. Recovery Gateway may not look like a traditional sustainability project, but by promoting housing stability through low-impact living, it's helping pave the way to a cleaner, cooler future.
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
Tiny-home communities are showing up in other cities, too. A first-of-its-kind 41-unit tiny-home village emerged in Ohio; in Canada, a former tech executive built 99 tiny homes to support people in his community, according to Good News Network. These projects offer practical, lower-cost housing where options are limited. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, expanding access to "housing first" programs could reduce reliance on costly emergency services and lead to long-term savings for communities.
"Recovery Gateway will create a space for long-term addiction treatment and is an important step in supporting our unhoused neighbors," said City Councilor Joaquín Baca. "This community will change countless lives by adding more recovery housing options for our city."
|
Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
