Public Spaces

Grant funds were used for construction materials to complete an ADA-compliant tiny home in Emerald Village, an affordable housing community of 22 tiny houses.

AARP Community Challenge grant funds helped build two ADA-compliant tiny houses at Emerald Village Eugene, a community developed by SquareOne Villages as "the first 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 of which contains a kitchenette, bathroom, and sleeping and living areas. The community, which broke ground in 2017, was funded largely by private donations and in-kind contributions by local architects, builders and others. Future residents also helped in the work. As a result, Emerald Village was created for 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 (e.g. laundry facilities, a community kitchen, storage 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.