Community Celebrated Grand Opening of Church by the Side of the Road Tiny House Village
- aaronl67
- Mar 16
- 3 min read
On a rainy afternoon on March 11, more than 60 community members and supporters joined the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and Church by the Side of the Road (CBSR) to celebrate the long-awaited grand opening of CBSR Village. The CBSR Village is four years in the making stated Sr Pastor Terrence Proctor at the grand opening. He and the CBSR congregation are thrilled to host the village on their property. The village includes 40 tiny houses that will shelter families with children, individuals, couples who are experiencing homelessness. The village includes community space, kitchen, counseling offices, laundry room, hygiene facilities, outdoor space, and a security pavilion at the entrance.
The village sits on land owned by CBSR and was developed by LIHI. From the beginning, the congregation advocated to secure funding for the village and hosted numerous community events through the years. “Church By the Side of the Road Village is a wonderful reflection of our church’s 94-year legacy of ministering to the needs of our Tukwila community and beyond. Our church family is excited to see the vision of providing shelter for our unhoused neighbors come true,” said CBSR Sr. Pastor Proctor.
CBSR Village is the result of extensive collaboration between multiple levels of government including Washington State Department of Commerce, the City of SeaTac, the City of Tukwila and King County. The county and the City of Tukwila are providing operational funds for the village.
CBSR Village would not have become a reality without the continued efforts of former King County Councilmember De’Sean Quinn, King County councilmembers, former King County Executives Dow Constantine and Shannon Braddock, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod, and the Tukwila City Council.
“When I started as a program manager at LIHI four years ago, Church By the Side of the Road Village was written on our development board, and we never gave up on making it a reality. I am very excited to be standing here today at the opening of this village,” said Donna Anderson, LIHI Regional Operations Manager.
“Each village we open gets better and better. These tiny houses are heated, insulated, and even now have air conditioning. With the opening of Church By the Side of the Road Village, fewer people will have to sleep outside in cold, wet tents in the terrible weather we’re having today” said Sharon Lee, LIHI Executive Director.
Following the speeches, event attendees braved the pouring rain to tour CBSR Village, holding their umbrellas as they walked to tour the tiny houses and community facilities. Mayor McLeod noted that a day like this one is a reminder that many families with children, individuals, and couples experiencing homelessness do not have the luxury of a warm and safe place to take shelter.
“Expanding available shelter is a core priority for my administration to break the cycle of homelessness, and we are acting with urgency to bring more people indoors with the services they need. Making progress on this region wide challenge requires strong partnerships, and I’m grateful to the service providers, faith leaders, and government agencies who came together to make this village possible.” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay.
"Church By the Side of the Road Village is an important addition to our regional network of housing and supportive services, providing a safe and supportive place for families and individuals as they transition out of homelessness." said King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain.
Program participants at CBSR Village have access to case management services to help connect them to housing, healthcare, education, employment, behavioral health and other supportive services. Staff is on-site 24/7, and the village is surrounded by a fence to ensure safety for program participants.
CBSR Village marks another step toward ending homelessness in our communities. If you would like to volunteer to support Church By the Side of the Road Village, you are welcome to reach out to volunteer.program@lihi.org. Neighbors, nearby business owners, and Tukwila community members are invited to apply to join CBSR Village’s Community Advisory Committee.
News coverage of the event:
