Seattle Expands Affordable Housing with New Tiny Home Villages

Seattle is taking a significant step to address homelessness by investing $5.9 million in two new tiny home villages, set to open this fall.

These villages will add over 100 tiny houses, providing shelter and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

The larger village will feature approximately 60 tiny houses and will be operated in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and CoLEAD, focusing on those with complex behavioral health needs.

The second village will include about 44 tiny houses and will be managed solely by LIHI.

Mayor Bruce Harrell emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "Expanding available shelter is part of our broader, multilayered strategy to meet urgent needs while simultaneously tackling root causes and increasing affordable permanent housing."

LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee highlighted the impact, noting, "Two new tiny house villages will serve hundreds of people in the years to come. Our goal is for vulnerable people to be able to move out of living in cold, wet tents and into heated tiny houses this winter."

These new villages will be reserved for individuals referred by the Unified Care Team, aiming to offer people living in encampments the opportunity to move indoors while keeping public spaces accessible.

According to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, 46% of individuals exiting city-funded tiny house programs transitioned to permanent housing in 2024, surpassing the national average of 32%.

Seattle's commitment to expanding tiny home villages reflects a proactive approach to providing immediate shelter and long-term housing solutions for its homeless population.