By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
The Church by the Side of the Road (CBSR) and the Low Income Housing Institute recently opened CBSR Village, a 40-unit tiny home community in Tukwila designed to provide shelter and services for individuals, families with children and couples experiencing homelessness.
The village includes 40 tiny houses along with community space, a kitchen, counseling offices, laundry and hygiene facilities, and a security pavilion at the entrance. Program participants will have access to case management services connecting them to housing, health care, education, employment and behavioral health support.
The village was built on land owned by the church and developed in partnership with the Low Income Housing Institute. Members of the congregation played a central role in bringing the project to life by organizing community support and advocating for resources to address homelessness in the area.
“The CBSR Village is four years in the making,” said Terrence Proctor, senior pastor of CBSR. “The CBSR congregation are thrilled to host the village on their property.
“Church By the Side of the Road Village is a wonderful reflection of our church’s 94-year legacy of ministering to the needs of our Tukwila community and beyond. Our church family is excited to see the vision of providing shelter for our unhoused neighbors come true,” added Proctor.
“When I started as a program manager at LIHI four years ago, Church By the Side of the Road Village was written on our development board, and we never gave up on making it a reality. I am very excited to be standing here today at the opening of this village,” said Donna Anderson, LIHI regional operations manager.
LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee emphasized the importance of the project in protecting vulnerable residents from harsh weather conditions.
“Each village we open gets better and better. These tiny houses are heated, insulated, and even now have air conditioning. With the opening of Church By the Side of the Road Village, fewer people will have to sleep outside in cold, wet tents in the terrible weather we’re having today” said Lee.
The project was made possible through coordination among local and state partners, including the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila, King County and the Washington State Department of Commerce. Tukwila and King County will provide ongoing funding to support village operations and services.
Several elected officials and community leaders were recognized for their roles in advancing the project, including former King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn, former King County Executives Dow Constantine and Shannon Braddock, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod and members of the Tukwila City Council.
Following the ceremony, attendees toured the village in heavy rain, walking through the site to view the tiny homes and shared facilities. Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod noted that the weather underscored the urgency of expanding shelter for people without stable housing.
“Expanding available shelter is a core priority for my administration to break the cycle of homelessness, and we are acting with urgency to bring more people indoors with the services they need. Making progress on this region wide challenge requires strong partnerships, and I’m grateful to the service providers, faith leaders, and government agencies who came together to make this village possible.” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay.
The village will be staffed around the clock, and the site includes fencing to enhance safety for residents.
“Church By the Side of the Road Village is an important addition to our regional network of housing and supportive services, providing a safe and supportive place for families and individuals as they transition out of homelessness.” said King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain.
CBSR Village represents another step in ongoing efforts to address homelessness in the region. Community members, neighbors and local business owners are encouraged to support the effort through volunteer opportunities and participation in the village’s Community Advisory Committee.
