In a Tiny House Village, Portland’s Homeless Find Dignity

As cities search for solutions to homelessness, Portland’s Dignity Village offers 60 men and women community and safety.

By Marcus Harrison Green / Yes! Magazine On a frigid January morning in Portland, Ore., a tour through Dignity Village follows the same path its residents are required to travel. All were, or are, homeless. Newcomers to this homeless refuge huddle in the warming station, a small portable with photos of smiling former residents and where they are required to stay during a 60-day probationary period. They hope to graduate to a small makeshift home like Karen, a three-month resident whose boisterous laugh carries through the village. Should it become a permanent home, they may find themselves in the position of Rick Proudfoot, a longtime resident who works in the site’s main office, keeping track of finances. If they’re really lucky, they may end up like Lisa Larson, Dignity Village’s CEO.   [Read more...]