35th Village FAQs Answers To Commonly Asked Questions About 35th Village
August 25, 2016
Build Us H.O.P.E. (BUH) 35th Village is an exciting new concept in providing supportive, affordable and sustainable housing to the Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI), Veterans and the chronically homeless. The village is based in a loving and hospitable environment with amenities to improve quality of life. Build Us H.O.P.E. is a faith-based mission open to people of all faiths.
35th Village will include 22 (twenty two) Tiny Homes, a Community Center, Admin offices, and community garden, with a small center pavilion for gathering.
Where will the 35th Village be located? BUH has acquired 1.2 (one point two) acres of land in West Central Phoenix near 35th Avenue and Thomas Road. The Village will be built in the style of a “pocket neighborhood” with all of the homes facing inward to the community garden and community gathering area. 35th Village is located along the Valley Metro Bus Routes (Route 35 – 35th Avenue and Route 29 – Thomas Road).
The community center will include a full size kitchen, dining area, and gathering area. There will also be a resource center, to include computers. Office areas (for supportive services, counseling and private meetings) will also be included. Laundry facilities will also be on site, along with parking area.
Each of the homes will include a porch and yard area (side and back). There will be four (4) of the homes designed for ADA residents. This area is surrounded by some commercial businesses and to the east are residential neighborhoods.
While the homes might be small in size, each will include a kitchen/eating area, bathroom, sleeping area and general sitting area. They are being built to normal building codes and standards, with the expected life cycle of any other home in a community. The homes will also be built to be as “green” as possible, including solar electricity, gray water systems and on demand water heating for example.
What impact will this village have on my property value? It is a common belief that affordable housing, including residential care facilities and supportive housing will lower neighboring property values. However, numerous studies conducted over a period of many years and in various locations find that this widely held preconception is incorrect. Why? Because property values are primarily determined by the condition of the particular property for sale and other broader, more complex forces such as overall area development and prosperity. The location of affordable housing has no significant impact on these other conditions which determine property values. (1)
On November 6, 2008, NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy released the first large-scale study of the property value impacts of supportive housing, evaluating the impacts that 123 developments across the city’s five boroughs have had over an 18 year period. These new findings refute frequently asserted fears that supportive housing developments will depress the value of neighboring properties over time. The findings show that the value of properties within 500 feet of supportive housing do not drop when a new development opens and show steady growth relative to other properties in the neighborhood in the years after the supportive housing opens. Properties somewhat further away from the supportive housing (between 500 and 1,000 feet away) show a decline in value when the supportive housing first opens, but their prices then increase steadily
Will there be on-site management at the sites?
There will be at least one (1) full-time on-site manager in the 35th Village. In addition, staff of BUH will be the overall property manager in charge of all aspects of management, in particular building a sense of community with an emphasis on creating a safe environment. The onsite manager and BUH will be responsible for the day to day property management aspects of the community; collecting rent, maintenance, security, etc.
How are you going to handle security?
The 35th Village will be managed by a community council of residents and BUH. To live in any community one must obey civil laws as well as rules and regulations of the community. This community will be no different. Video surveillance equipment (cameras) will be placed throughout the village in strategic locations such as the front gate and in community gathering areas. There will be a neighborhood watch program developed and we will work closely with the Phoenix Police Department to develop a strong community policing presence. Will BUH take Section 8 and housing vouchers? Yes
Would a potential resident need to be free of drug and alcohol addictions to qualify?
The 35th Village is being developed on the Housing – First! model. Housing – First! believes an individual must first be adequately housed before important, lifesaving services such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation would be effective. BUH - the staff and volunteers, the church community, the social services community, and the residents will work together toward that the total community support. We are not just providing “adequate housing”. We are developing a community with revolutionary service and attention to needs at a fraction of the cost of traditional housing initiatives. The emphasis is on love, respect, and acceptance.
To go through rehab and other vital services only to be released back onto the streets is counterproductive. Please remember that the possession and distribution of controlled substances is against the law. We expect everyone living in our community to abide by the law. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Annual Report on Hunger and Homeless, 2006, 74% of the homeless surveyed are not substance abusers.
No drug or alcohol abuse will be allowed on the site.
Will people with criminal records be allowed to live in the 35th Village?
As stated earlier each potential community resident will be required to fill out an application and meet some standard housing requirements. Then, on a case-by case basis the applicant will be reviewed by qualified personnel for their compatibility with the site and the community at large.
What services will be available to those living in 35th Village?
There will be a broad range of services available to village residents. The in kind support from the community includes counseling; medical (mobile medical unit and access to fully staffed free clinic); legal aid; pet and veterinary care; career counseling and peer counseling support. Classes on home and health management will also be offered to the residents. The goal is to also create job training as the opportunities arise. Additionally, we will have access to clothing and a food pantry to supplement the garden. As needs are identified, BUH will partner with service providers within the community to offer needed assistance.
Is this transitional housing? This is permanent housing. It is intended that those who qualify can live here permanently providing they pay their rent and abide by civil law and the rules of the community.
How much will it cost to live in the Village?
We estimate living in a Tiny Home will cost $400-550 per month including water and a fixed amount of electricity, and basic antennae television service.
How many people can live in a Tiny home?
One, unless an established domestic couple or married then two. The floor plans of these units are designed for a couple or one single individual. In some instances, we will consider a single parent with one adult child.
Can SMI or homeless people live independently like this?
Yes, in a prior housing facility of Singleton Housing, Inc., 74% of the residents with SMI lived in the complex successfully on their own. This is designed to be a PERMANENT community, much like other multi-family housing complexes. With the supportive services and the bonds that form between neighbors, we know this will truly become their home for as long as they want. One of our mentor communities, Mobile Loaves & Fishes in Austin, Texas has been lifting homeless people off of the streets of Austin into permanent, affordable and sustainable RV homes for ten years. They started by providing RV homes in different RV communities in the Austin area. They have all been moved to the Community First! Village, where there are RVs, micro-homes and canvas cottages. What they have found is 86% of their original residents continue to live independently and successfully in their homes.
Has this been done anywhere else in the United States?
A number of cities across the US and Canada are adopting the “Housing – First!” paradigm: Housing comes first; until those who are homeless have a place to live, efforts to improve their lives -- materially or spiritually -- offer little chance of long-term success. Austin, Texas - Mobile Loaves & Fishes Community First! provides the first permanent supportive housing in Austin. With the development of the Community First! Village, they have established a “Community First!” environment for the chronically homeless that gives them more than shelter and food. It provides those in need with programs to enhance their lives, stabilize their health, and a permanent place to call home. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-- Project H.O.M.E.’s founding philosophy to be all-inclusive, to create a family environment, and to form a community has been proven to work. Denver -- Detox admissions for homeless substance abusers fall 84 percent when they are targeted for housing and services, said Jamie Van Leeuwen, a Denver Department of Human Services official who manages of Denver's Road Home. Those homeless were each averaging 70 detox admissions a year, which means the savings are substantial. Jail intakes of Denver homeless, meanwhile, are down 22 percent over the past two years. (5) Seattle, Washington -- Downtown Emergency Service Center has improved the lives of chronically homeless individuals through its ability to provide appropriate supportive services and permanent housing for its tenants. They are a wonderful example of an organization committed to ending homelessness in their communities.” - Bob Hohler, executive director of the Melville Charitable Trust and executive committee chairman of the Partnership to End Long Term Homelessness. (6) Oakland, California: Now I have a place to sleep every night and a place to keep my medicine, so I don't get sick as much. And, I have a place to keep food and prepare meals. Because of help from Project RESPECT, I don't need to go to the hospital anymore. I am also able to keep proper hygiene now so I don't have a recurrence of cellulitis. I have been clean from drugs for 18 months. I am now volunteering at the Oakland Museum and the veterans' hospital and I've reestablished relationships with my kids. It's good to be out of jails and hospitals. (7)
Since you are a faith based organization will it be a requirement to participate in any faith life of the community?
Although BUH is a Christian faith based organization our first priority is the dignity of the human person. Also, we have made a commitment as part of our privilege of having tax exempt status to not discriminate against anyone. We have a deep abiding respect for all faiths and welcome all into our community; both residents and those that wish to serve our residents. There will be a spiritual life within the community but no requirement to participate.
What are your biggest needs to see this development come to fruition?
We have secured the property for the 35th Village. Now, we need a capital campaign to help us make our dream a reality. We are also looking for those in the construction trades who will see this development as an important asset to our community and come forward and participate in the development and construction of the 35th Village. You can help make the 35th Village a reality by completing our contact us form or sending an email to [email protected]
