The Tiny Homes Foundation

Associates of Transmoto, Tiny Homes Foundation (THF), has received DA approval to build what is believed to be Australia’s first tiny house project for homeless men, women, youth and the elderly. The pilot project, next to Gosford Hospital on the NSW Central Coast, will consist of four tiny homes, a common lounge, a common laundry/workshop and community vegetable
gardens.

THF’s model is based on a ‘housing-first’ solution supported by a network of training, employment and social support services. THF has collaborated with like-minded partners who are leading practitioners within their field, such as Clayton Utz (lawyers), NBRS+Partners (architects), Chase Burke & Harvey (surveyors) Wilson Planning (town planning), The Skills Generator (employment & training) & TAFE Outreach (education).

“A home is not just a roof overhead; it is a springboard under your feet,” said David Wooldridge, THF Co-Founder and CEO. “Solving homelessness is a question of will. Will we do it or won’t we? It can happen within the next three to five years – if we all really want it to.”

As the latest strategy to increase the availability of ‘affordable housing’, each 14sq.m home has a finished cost of less than $30,000 and includes a full bathroom and kitchen, embraces solar efficient design and is easily assembled and disassembled. However, building tiny houses is one thing but what makes the THF initiative groundbreaking is the fact that it is council approved, low cost, replicable and features Australia’s first ‘equity participation scheme for tenants’ whereby accommodation payments not applied to the cost and maintenance of the project will be available to THF tenants as needed for future housing related expenditure creating a pathway from homelessness to self support.

And as an incentive to get others to join the effort to solve homelessness, THF will be granting ‘free access’ to all its plans, documentation, processes, etc, for others who are able to replicate the project in their state or region.

Visit www.tinyhomesfoundation.org.au for more information.