This one is going to be about an issue in our city that is incredibly insulting to our homeless community. A bunch of tax money spent in the name of helping the homeless. I'll let you judge who's been helped.
It was a big deal in the news. "Duluth experimenting with tiny houses as solution for homeless.
Wagner Zaun Architecture is here in Duluth, and they came up with the plans and gave them to the city to use free of charge, because it was going toward a good cause. The company said it could be built on the cheap, for $8,000 each.
Enter the Government
Duluth said it could be done for a whopping $60,000 each, including the $13,000 cost of hooking it up to the electrical company (of course solar was not their chosen option) and sewer.
The plan was to have a series of people live in it for a few months each, and then let them know their experience of the place.
This happened in 2016. There have been no follow up news stories since then. I have reached out to Rick Klun, the guy running Center City Housing Corp. but have not yet heard back.
During my housing search I have run across ads featuring that tiny house. The place is 336 square feet. Almost as small as my camper.
They want $750 a month for it. I'm sorry, but at that price, for something so small, you aren't helping the homeless population. You're lining your pockets.
Edit to add: I spoke with my homeless advocate about this house. She says only two people tested it instead of the original several. They then decided to place it at Market price.
So, seriously. Profit over people.