'Tiny homes' concept sparks discussion at Cape Council

The Cape Girardeau City Council wants to hear from the community about a “tiny homes village” concept, offered as a potential “cost-effective” response to chronic homelessness.

A significant portion of Monday’s meeting in council chambers was devoted to a discussion of an idea brought by Melissa Stickel, executive director of the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (CPSEMO).

Stickel told council members Monday a count of the homeless population was done on a cold night in January.

She added such a count is believed “grossly underrepresents” the actual numbers of homeless.

• 44 people were found to have no regular fixed housing in Cape Girardeau County. Of that number, 25 were considered unsheltered and living on the streets. The remaining 19 are designated as sheltered, with the latter number most likely, Stickel said, being housed at the Safe House for Women.
• Up to a dozen individuals, Stickel said, are termed “chronically homeless” in Cape Girardeau, with frequent bouts of housing displacement over a long period of time.

Terming her comments as a “conversation starter,” Stickel said CPSEMO is exploring the idea of housing chronic homeless in homes of 400-square-feet or smaller, with village members having access to a shared kitchen and laundry facility,

Stickel said she visited such a village in Texas and, preliminarily, CPSEMO has identified a 1.2-acre lot near the organization’s future home on which 15 tiny homes could be erected.

CPSEMO plans to move into its new offices at 40 S. Sprigg St., the former city police headquarters, in five weeks, after completing a $1.8 million remodeling of the property, Stickel said.

Discussion

City manager Scott Meyer asked the council to decide whether it wanted to explore the concept further before staff invests significant time investigating the need and viability of tiny homes.

Ward 6 Councilwoman Stacy Kinder indicated she would like more information.

Ward 3 Councilman Nate Thomas said he would like to hear the opinion of the city’s police force.

Robbie Guard, Ward 4 councilman and mayor pro tempore, was succinct.

“I’m not in favor of tiny homes just like I was not in favor of container homes; I believe this would be devastating to our downtown and I don’t want staff wasting time (on it),” Guard said.

Mayor Bob Fox said before city staff spends time in research, he’d like community members to weigh in with their opinions, noting, “The tiny home concept may work in larger cities with much more serious (homelessness) than we have here.”

Mayoral notes

Fox said he planned to introduce retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt when he makes a stop Wednesday at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

The mayor also indicated he is glad to report the American Dutchess cruise ship will stop in Cape Girardeau on Thursday.

Closed session

Following the public meeting, council members were to meet in closed session with GovHRUSA consultant Mark Peterson to identify finalists for the city manager position. Meyer, the longest city manager in municipal history, will retire in June. Fox said he is hopeful a decision on Meyer’s successor can be announced at council’s May 3 meeting.