Tiny houses in Kansas City to serve homeless veterans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A group of military veterans hopes to build small homes for struggling and homeless veterans on a vacant piece of land in Kansas City.

The not-for-profit Veterans Community Project has set out to build 50 tiny homes on a four-acre vacant site it bought from the Kansas City Land Bank, The Kansas City Star reported.

The first 240-square-foot house was dedicated Monday morning.

"We identified too many veterans suffering from PTSD and addictions who were going untreated and not doing well in traditional shelters," Chris Stout, president of Veterans Community Project, said in a news release. "We decided as vets that we had to do something to help."

Each house costs about $10,000 to build and equip.

Lead builder Brandonn Mixon sweeps out the inside of a tiny home after dedication ceremonies as the Veterans Community Project unveiled its first tiny house for homeless veterans on Monday in Kansas City, Missouri.Keith Myers ~ The Kansas City Star via AP

The organization is seeking private community donations and is challenging each branch of the military to donate at least one house. United Automobile Workers has agreed to donate basics, such as dishes, linens and toiletries.

Stout, an Army veteran, started the not-for-profit along with retired Marine Corps veteran Kevin Jamison, Navy reservist Mark Solomon and others started the not-for-profit organization.

Speakers at the dedication ceremony included Kansas City Mayor Sly James and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

"The good news is veteran homelessness is declining thanks to programs like this one," Cleaver said in a news release. "The Veterans Community Project not only creates homes for our veterans who have already given so much, but it creates hope and a new beginning."