BOZEMAN — Five years in the making, and a little over a week from welcoming tenants: The HRDC’s Housing First Village will be opening 12 of its homes for those facing displacement and chronic homelessness.
“They’re human, they’re just like us: there’s no difference,” Jenna Huey said. “I’ve known them for too long—too long, meaning too long they’ve been homeless, and I’m really excited to see them move into their own space.”
Huey is the emergency shelter services manager for HRDC and works extensively with those facing a housing crisis. She says that these tiny homes have been capturing the attention of the local homeless and will greatly help reduce the stress of finding affordable living accommodations.
The Housing First Village will be moving in tenants on November 1, to their first 12 constructed homes. In total, there will be 19 homes, the foundation for seven more has been poured and will be completed soon.
“They have definitely seen a lot of trials and tribulations. I mean, they’re the strongest of the strong, but they are also incredibly deserving,” Jen Kurk said.
As the supportive housing counselor at the HRDC, Kurk was the one to break the news to the tenants that they will be the first to live in these homes.
“The day they walk through those doors will be a pretty magical day,” Kurk said.
The project was mainly funded through community donations, and a couple of the home designs were crafted by MSU architecture students—a true community project for the community.
