SHELTON veterans VILLAGE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Interested in how to start a tiny home village in your community?​
Who will manage the Shelton Veterans Village?
The Village is supported by Panza dba Quixote Communities, a 501C3 non-profit organization. We will have a Program Manager, Program Supervisor, and 2 Case Managers on site. Our staffing model is based off of our current villages, Quixote Village in Olympia, and the Orting Veterans Village.
What model will you use?
  • Quixote Communities offers recovery housing, a drug and alcohol free living environment for people in all stages of recovery. 
  • We also provide Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). PSH is an evidence-based practice in homeless housing that has been shown to improve health conditions, reduce or eliminate substance use, and improve housing stability among participants.
  • Permanent = people can stay there as long as they want, which for some people is the best environment for them to thrive in. There are no time limits + residents sign leases + pay rent
  • Supportive = supportive staff to help navigate different resources and services in the community as well as help with day to day living. And supportive with a built-in support group of peers and neighbors. A community and a place for people to belong.
 ​Why tiny homes?
  • Residents of our original Camp Quixote in Olympia were an integral part of the design of the village. Unlike living in an apartment with neighbors above, below, and on both sides of you, each resident has their own home. They also didn't want to lose the community they had created as a camp, and the community center was born. This was extremely important to residents. They are their own community and look after each other. 
  • Residents have their own lawn and individual porches. This brings a sense of ownership and pride. If you came to Quixote Village, you would see 30 tiny homes each with their own individuality and uniqueness.
  • Our tiny homes leave a smaller carbon footprint and are eco-friendly with only 176 sq. ft. (ADA units are a bit larger for accessibility).
  • Tiny homes are economically efficient as well, they cost less than half of what is costs to build your average apartment (this includes all our land development and cost of our large community center and all soft costs).
  • The village aspect also creates an incredible community. Residents share communal spaces and it opens up for an empowering sense of family, peer mentorship, and community.
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What is the vetting process and who will be living there?
  • ​The village will be home to chronically homeless Veterans living in Mason County. 
  • Crossroads Housing is the Coordinated Entry (CE) point for homeless adults in Mason County. We will work with them to manage our wait list. The wait list is prioritized based on vulnerability.
  • Applicants must pass a urinary analysis (UA).
  • Applicants must pass a background check. We do not house people with sex offender registration, convicted of manufacturing methamphetamines, or people with active warrants (we use the same screening criteria as the Housing Authority).
  • All residents must be Veterans.
  • Village residents are expected to be clean and sober. However, we understand the complexity of substance use disorder and work with residents in every stage of their recovery. Staff work one on one with residents to ensure they have the resources and support they need to be successful. 
What is in each tiny home?
  •   Each 176 sq. ft. tiny home consists of:
  •  Furnished bed with storage underneath
  •  .75 bath (toilet, sink, and shower)
  •  Closet
  •  Desk and chair
  • Full electricity (lights, heater, heat lamp in bathroom, and AC)
  • Several windows for ventilation
  • Porch and personal lawn area
What will be in the Community center?
  •  The Community Building will be roughly 2,500 square feet
  •  Full kitchen with community pots, pans, dishes, and utensils
  • Food storage as well as multiple fridges and freezers
  • Multipurpose room (with TV and regular planned activities)
  • Large dining area
  • 2 bathrooms and 1 bathtub (they have bathrooms and showers in their units as well)
  •  Rotating library
  • Staff offices 
​How many homes will you have?
- We will have 30 tiny homes and 1 community center.
- The Shelton Veterans Village will have a slightly different design than our other villages. It will have 7-4plexes and 1-duplex. This not only helps with cost, but will also offer more personal mini-communities of support for each resident.
How does rent work?
  • The Shelton Veterans Village is permanent housing. All residents sign a lease and pay affordable rent. 
  • Residents pay 30% of their income in rent. This 30% is based off the standard for affordable housing.
  • In order to live at the village, residents must be at 50% or under the Area Median Income. This means residents who have severely low-income will be living at the village.
  • Since residents will have extremely low-income, the Bremerton Housing Authority and Veterans Affairs will be providing housing vouchers. This will help us supplement rent to pay for operating and maintenance expenses.
  • If a resident has zero income there is a minimum of $50 in rent. However, residents can work with staff to get a zero-income waiver.
What will be offered at the village?
  • We will work to offer a wide variety of social and wellness activities as well as educational opportunities for residents. Our Case Managers and Program Supervisor will work with different community members and organizations to offer activities residents are interested in.
  • Some examples of what we plan to offer: a regular hairdresser/barber, quarterly nursing interns, life skill classes, employment workshops, gardening, nutrition help, participation in community events and public speaking, Veteran support groups, group walks, recovery meetings, and weekly community dinners.
  • Our Case Managers works one-one-one with residents to help with goal setting. They work on anything from getting a driver’s license, paying off fines, finding proper behavioral and physical health care, maintaining sobriety, looking for employment, or helping with transportation. We strive to support and guide residents towards whatever goal they are looking to reach.
 Will there be violence and crime?
  • It is a large misconception that people experiencing homelessness are prone to a life of drugs and crime. Someone who is experiencing homelessness is no more likely to commit a violent crime than someone who is housed (the only exception to this is tent encampments). In fact, a person experiencing homelessness is more likely to be the victim of a violent crime, especially women.
  • Violence is an extremely RARE occurrence at our villages, just as it can be in any other type of residential community.
  • We have a zero-tolerance policy for assault and violence. If a resident is found to have assaulted someone, they will be asked to leave.
What about drug use?
  • We provide Recovery Housing and will not allow drugs or alcohol at the village.
  • We understand that addiction is a disease and that relapse can be part of the recovery process. We strive to provide a safe and supportive living environment for people who are in all stages of recovery.
  • We have seen many people become clean and sober after living at our villages (in Olympia and Orting) with a roof over their head, supportive staff, and peer mentors.
  • If someone relapses or is struggling, our Case Manager will work with them to figure out a plan for recovery. If a resident’s behavior is affecting the village community and it has become clear they are not dedicated to being clean and sober, they will eventually be asked to leave. This is the LAST resort as we strive to provide a supportive atmosphere and to keep people housed.
What will it cost?
  • Quixote Communities was awarded $4.7 million in the state capital budget, which came through the state Department of Commerce’s Housing Trust Fund
  • Federal Home Loan Bank -- $800,000
  • Mason County -- $190,000
  • Norcliffe Foundation -- $15,000
  • ​The total project will be around $6 million.
WHY ARE THERE HOMELESS VETERANS?
  • In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, lack of livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Additionally, military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2022).
  • It is estimated that up to 30% of Veterans experience PTSD, compared to the national average of 7%
​HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
  • There are many ways to get involved with the Shelton Veterans Village. You can contact volunteer@quixotecommunities.org to learn about the different ways to volunteer and support our homeless Veteran heroes.
how do i live at the village?
  • The Shelton nonprofit Crossroads Housing oversees the waitlists and intakes for homeless housing providers in Mason County. You can contact them at (360) 427-6919
info@quixotecommunities.org | 360-338-0451 | 3350 Mottman Road SW Olympia, WA 98512