National Grid has teamed up with A Tiny Home for Good, as the non-profit continues to fight homelessness in the city of Syracuse. Construction is complete on four new tiny homes on Syracuse’s Southside that will help people facing homelessness.
The blue, green and gray homes anchor one end of a neighborhood green space. They have a contemporary look, yet blend in with other houses around the block. And they seem bigger than the other homes built by A Tiny Home for Good. Executive Director Andrew Lunetta said there is some extra space.
"They are about a hundred square foot larger than some of our first homes we've built," Lunetta said. "The other thing though is that they're in a floodplain so we have to be jacked up like three or four feet above grade level so that just makes them play a lot bigger."
These homes were designed by University of Buffalo architecture students, and include a small kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room. With National Grid sponsoring the build, there’s also an energy-saving component to them, according to utility spokesman Al Bianchetti.
"It's a combination of the solar panels that will provide the energy for part of the use that the residents will have, as well as the design in terms of insulation, in terms of appliances, in terms of building materials that were important to put really the national grid stamp on these homes," Bianchetti said.
A Tiny Home For Good finds homeless individuals to rent the homes at an affordable rate. The non-profit provides ongoing case management for tenants. Four individuals will move into the homes next month.
