Green River, UT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing

Description: Epicenter conducted outreach to older residents about their housing needs, with the goal informing the design of its Frontier House prototype. Costing 36,000, Epicanter envisions the small home as an affordable alternative to mobile homes, where many rural residents live. The 708-square-foot home -- scaled to the minimum house size allowed by City code -- prioritizes accessibility. Designed to be low maintenance, the house is meant to enable residents to age in place in their community. Epicenter plans to monitor the structure for three years to track its utility usage and durability. The nonprofit also uses the prototype as a teaching tool within the community. The nonprofit works to close the housing affordability gap for low-to-moderate income households in rural Utah through home repair and new housing construction.

Eugene, OR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing

Description: SquareOne Villages constructed two ADA-compliant tiny houses at Emerald Village Eugene, a permanently affordable tiny home co-op. The 1.1 acre location features 22 tiny houses, ranging in size from 160- to 288-square-feet. Each contains a kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping and living areas. Private donations and in-kind contributions by local architects, builders and others funded the project, with future residents contributed their labor during construction. As a result, construction costs came to around 55,000 per unit, including the price of the land. The monthly cost to residents ranges from 200 to 300 and covers utilities, maintenance, operating costs and common spaces. As members of a housing cooperative, the residents own shares in the village, enabling each to receive some money if they choose to move out. To promote diverse housing options, organization also hosted two workshops on accessory dwellings unit in Eugene.

Terrytown, LA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing

Description: Older adults in the New Orleans metro area face high poverty rates and housing vulnerability, worsened by severe storms and rising insurance costs. To address this, Habitat built a model home showcasing climate-resilient design and universal accessibility features. It then hosted seven open houses for over 100 attendees, including prospective buyers and stakeholders. The model sparked investment and accelerated plans for Rising Oaks, a 150-unit development with cottages for older adults featuring microgrid power and flood-resistant construction. Attendees praised the accessibility and safety features, setting a new standard for affordable, resilient housing.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.