Affordable housing tiny home community hosts groundbreaking ceremony in Chatham County

Garman Homes, a Cary-based homebuilder, is partnering with XDS, Inc. (Cross Disability Services, Inc.), a nonprofit operating out of Carrboro, North Carolina, to build a new development community that provides affordable housing for people with mental illness and other health conditions living on a fixed income. With the sitework complete, a groundbreaking ceremony is took place at the future site of The Tiny Homes Village, nestled on the 40-acre grounds of Chatham County’s The Farm at Penny Lane.

The Tiny Homes Village will include 15 well-designed, affordable homes, five of which are reserved for veterans with chronic health conditions. The homes are not for sale to the general public, but through XDS, Inc., The Tiny Homes Village will provide residents with access to healthy food, meaningful daily activities, transportation and physical and behavioral health services. The community amenities, including a clubhouse, walking trails, organic farm and an outdoor pavilion, will foster interactions and a strong support system among residents. Garman Homes worked closely with XDS, Inc., to design homes that would meet residents’ needs with a construction budget of approximately $50,000 each. The tiny homes will be about 400 square feet and built on a permanent foundation.

“After experiencing a horrific humanitarian crisis first-hand as a child, I understand the criticality of having a safe place to call home,” said Thava Mahadevan, founder of XDS, Inc. and director of operations at UNC’s Centre for Excellence in Community Health. “It’s been a longtime dream of mine to build attractive, small, affordable homes in a close-knit community where the residents can comfortably interact with one another. Garman Homes has been the perfect home building partner, as we both believe building with passion and driving people together is the key to marrying housing and healthcare.”

Mahadevan is leveraging his decades of expertise working in the field of mental health to optimize residents’ health and wellbeing through every inch of the tiny homes’ design. From the color schemes to the strategically placed front door and windows for natural light, Mahadevan and Garman Homes have crafted each floorplan to invoke feelings of stability and provide a sense of privacy for residents.

“The Tiny Homes Village is a revolutionary concept with the power to inspire homebuilders across the country to build inclusive communities within their development footprint,” said Rebecca McAdoo, regional president of Garman Homes. “Garman Homes is glad to play a small part in ensuring Chatham County residents will live a happy, healthy lifestyle by reaching their goal of home ownership. Not only are we thrilled to be a part of this project, but we’re grateful for the opportunity to influence the future of homebuilding in North Carolina and beyond.”

In addition to XDS Inc. and Garman Homes involvement in The Tiny Homes Village, the demonstration project is made possible through a handful of other public and private partnerships between the UNC School of Social Work, NC State College of Design, NC Medicaid and Chatham County.

Following the completion of construction, Garman Homes will continue its quest to provide statewide, affordable housing by unveiling a mixed-income community in northern Chapel Hill, Weavers Grove, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

To learn more about The Tiny Homes Village, call (919) 656-4395 or visit https://www.xdsinc.org/tiny-homes-village.

About XDS. Inc

Founded in 2004, XDS, Inc. (Cross Disability Services, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) whose vision is to empower individuals living with mental health challenges to find a way of becoming self-sufficient and have an improved quality of life. XDS, Inc. is a collaborative of community partners, stakeholders and volunteers who drop the routine and think differently about solving material, social and health inequities among populations impacted by severe mental health disabilities. The organization provides an array of clinically appropriate, person-centered and flexible treatment, rehabilitation and support services.