According to a first-of-its-kind study from Portland State University, tiny homes for the homeless consistently outperform mass shelters when it comes to successfully keeping people off the streets.
The study, which was conducted from July 2021 to July 2023, found that 36% of the tiny home residents in Portland moved on to permanent housing — and only 12% of congregate shelter guests did the same.
“This may be due in part to the shorter stays in adult congregate shelters, which limits the time available to connect someone with an extremely constrained supply of affordable or supportive housing,” authors Todd Ferry, Dr. Greg Townley, and Dr. Marisa Zapata surmised in their report.
The results of that study can be found in action at the Clinton Triangle tiny village neighborhood in southeast Portland.
Alisha Wilks is one of 203 residents who live in the community. Before moving into her 10-by-10-foot home, she slept out of her truck with her partner and 8-year-old Chihuahua, Mocha.
Wilks has lupus, heart disease, and a thyroid disorder — all painful conditions that have only been exacerbated by living on the streets.
Now, she finally has a chance to catch her breath.
“Each day I rest and take care of myself, I can feel and see myself getting better,” Wilks told Oregon Live in 2024.
“I want to make sure I am healthy before I get housing because I don’t want a home to get taken away from me because I am too sick to take care of it or afford it.”
Of course, walls alone do not make a home.
The success of tiny home neighborhoods like Clinton Triangle is due in large part to the nonprofits that back them.
Urban Alchemy operates two Temporary Alternative Shelter sites in southeast Portland: one in Clinton Triangle and another in Reedway.
Like many other nonprofits across the country that have installed tiny homes for the homeless, they take a multi-pronged approach to getting people off the streets.
“Using methods rooted in love, respect, and science, it has achieved remarkable success,” Urban Alchemy’s Wellness Villages director Kaesha Green told the Southeast Examiner.
“[They’ve created] a sense of safety, health, and dignity for residents, which aligns with the city’s goal of offering transitional support and holistic services to unhoused neighbors.”
Founded in California in 2018, Urban Alchemy first set its sights on alleviating homelessness and aiding formerly incarcerated individuals in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Today, a staff of 1,300 employees operates in California, Oregon, Texas, and Alabama.
In the years since, the company has built alternative housing sites, created career pathways, and offered counseling services for those in need.
Furthermore, 96% of Urban Alchemy’s practitioners have experienced some form of homelessness, addiction, or incarceration in their lives — which means that they know first-hand what approaches work best.
“Their unique backgrounds allow them to connect deeply with residents, offering empathy, understanding, and practical support,” Green said.
Tiny home residents like Wilks feel the impact of that personalized care when they need it most.
Although she has been hospitalized twice during her stay, she told Oregon Live that she has “never felt so loved.”
“Urban Alchemy staff came and got me from the hospital and they made me feel cared about and like it is worth living,” Wilks said. “This really is a place [where] you can restart and see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Header images via Urban Alchemy Safe Rest Village Clinton Triangle
