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SquareOne Villages (2017) Print
2017 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
└ Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
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.
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Livingston, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: Park County's housing shortage left older adults and low-income workers struggling to age in place or stay near family. The project offered free tours of seven accessory dwelling units and a three-part workshop for 38 homeowners, most age 50-plus, covering financing, design and construction. These sessions broke down barriers and highlighted accessibility features. Participants left empowered to start projects, and the Coalition expects more ADUs to expand housing options and family stability. One attendee said that the program gave her a pathway into retirement.
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.
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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Eugene, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Description: Frequent power outages in Eugene left older adults without reliable communication during emergencies, creating safety risks and isolation. The council installed two permanent emergency Wi-Fi hubs and a mobile unit, distributed 50 solar or rechargeable power packs and educated residents on using these resources. These improvements strengthened disaster preparedness and digital connectivity, ensuring access to vital information and contact with loved ones. Residents reported feeling safer and more connected, with plans to replicate the program citywide. One participant said, "We can send messages and let our children know how we are doing."
Veneta, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff at the Fern Ridge Public Library were determined to offer a safe outdoor space for residents to congregate. When a large, centuries-old Heritage Oak tree fell on library grounds, they took the opportunity to construct a courtyard, enlisting local artists to create benches from the tree's wood. To make the space inviting, volunteers planted native Oregonian plants and laid down gravel to create an accessible pathway. What had been a weed-covered yard became a peaceful seating area for casual meetings, quiet reading and public performances.
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