Scotland will begin construction of its first eco-village for the homeless in 2017 with its residents moving in by the summer.
The Edinburgh village will contain 10 tiny homes that can house up to 20 people for 12 months each. Since it costs the city council about $21,200 annually to provide one person with housing and food at shelters, the village is expected to save the government $250,000 a year.
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The community will also offer job training, counseling, therapy, budgeting advice, and education to help the tenants get back on track before moving onto more permanent accommodation.
Social Bite, the charity responsible for the village, is already renowned for attracting the recognition of Oscar-winning actors George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio. The social enterprise currently trains and employs the homeless to work in their sandwich shops throughout Edinburgh. All their proceeds are donated to charity.
Once the village’s residents complete the training and year-long stay, either Social Bite or any of its partnering companies will reportedly have job opportunities waiting for the graduating tenants.
Click To Share The Big News With Your Friends – Photo by Jonathan Avery, Tiny House Scotland