TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa County approved $500,000 in ARPA funds for City Lights Village, a tiny-home neighborhood by the City Lights Foundation.
The project is planned to be developed off 46th Street North and Peoria Avenue.
Sarah Grounds, Executive Director of City Lights Foundation, said this community aims to offer more than just a roof over heads. It's envisioned as a stable, supportive environment for those coming out of chronic homelessness.
2 News reported when the they built the first tiny home in City Lights Village. The foundation's website lists a range of support services, including financial education, case management, and mental health resources.
Grounds is looking forward to the additional features.
"We'll be able to have a beautiful community center there that will host all of our offices and the wraparound services that we'll be providing, as well as laundry and things like that. We'll also have gardens and orchards. We'll have some chickens out there, things like that, to be able to care for our neighbors as well," she said.
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Karen Keith, Tulsa County Commissioner for District Two, said the county is committed to combating the lack of affordable housing. Funding for City Lights Village follows a similar project, Eden Village.
- Related story >>> Eden Village to become next tiny homes community in Tulsa
"Tulsa County is very concerned about the issues in homelessness, and we invested ARPA funds to help Eden Village get their work done. And now City Lights, we gave them the exact same amount," Keith said.
Both Grounds and Keith studied similar models in other cities and are optimistic about their potential in Tulsa.
- Related story >>> Homelessness a growing problem in Tulsa
"So this model has worked in cities across the country… I believe, as do the other county commissioners and staff that this is a good way to kind of bridge that gap between affordable housing and giving them a place where people can live and thrive with all the wraparound services," said Keith. "I'm really excited about this."
City Lights Foundation hopes to break ground on City Lights Village in 2024.
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