LASA gathered to learn more about one of the responses to LA’s homelessness crisis – the
Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village that will open to new residents in the coming weeks.
The Tiny Home Village is a partnership between Hope of the Valley Mission and the County’s
LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority). When it opens, the Village will include 117
units and 224 beds, making it the largest tiny home village in California. Residents will come
from a three-mile radius around the Highland Park site and will make the Village their home for
about half a year as they work with partners to find more permanent housing.
LASA arrived at the site ready to both learn and to help out. LASA students packed hygenie kits
filled with toiletries, dry foods, and socks that will welcome the residents. And they unpacked
mattresses in each home. Lilly shared, “I worked on making kits and setting up beds; it was an
extremely gratifying experience, and it really opened my eyes to how many people truly care
about this issue. I hope in the future I can do something that will serve my community in a
positive way like that.” Corinna worked on the mattresses within the individual homes: “getting
to go inside one of the completed tiny homes was really eye-opening and has inspired me to
continue participating in projects like this one!”
The other half of our LASA class participated in a painting project with YouTuber ZHC. The Tiny
Home Village is creating a vibrant, art-filled space to help residents move forward into new
chapters in their lives. Ava painted and reflected, “the paintings on the houses were particularly
meaningful to me. Instead of the typical dreary shelter, this village was filled with vibrant colors
and uplifting designs that helped make the environment optimistic and hopeful. I can only
imagine how helpful this is to individuals coming in off the streets and attempting to recover
from their hardships. Getting to paint a house made me feel like I was a part of this positive
environment.” Greta added that “these paintings will brighten someone’s life!” And Fernanda
thought broadly about the impact of the painted spaces; “I hope the people who will live there
can feel safe amongst the art.”
One aspect of the Village that resonated with LASA students was the focus on treating others
with respect and building community around honoring the dignity of the residents. Lilly framed
this as “fostering a community of love and respect.” As LASA continues to think about systemic
drivers of homelessness and future responses, we also are cheering on those who will move
into the Tiny Home Village in the coming weeks.
