Harrisburg students build tiny houses for homeless veterans

Three homes completed with more to come

Students in Harrisburg High School’s Home Builders Academy finished the school year with a real sense of accomplishment. They completed three tiny houses the final days of school. These 240 square-foot houses were part of a partnership with the Veteran’s Community Project (VCP) and will become a living space for homeless veterans at the Veteran’s Community Village, a specialized community of 25 houses in northwest Sioux Falls.

“Before the school year ended, we finished the siding, trim, fascia, soffit and shingling, and the walls will be ready to move,” said Derek Wynia, HHS construction trades instructor. “The homes will be transported to the Veteran’s Community Village site in early to mid-summer.”

Homeless veterans a hidden problem

Veteran homelessness has become a vexing problem. According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, out of every 10,000 veterans in the country, 21 were experiencing homelessness at the start of 2020.

Studies show that the veteran population is two times more likely to become homeless than any other group of people. Presently, veterans make up 8 percent of the country’s homeless population.

In 2023 in South Dakota there are 55,969 veterans, and a 2022 count from the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported approximately 40 veterans who are homeless and living in the state.

VCP hopes to combat that issue by building tiny houses for those homeless veterans.

More than a tiny house

Veteran’s Community Village is located on two acres of property in northwest Sioux Falls and is the fourth in the nation. The specialized community will have 25 tiny homes with on-site wraparound support services designed to equip homeless veterans with the tools needed to return to a stable environment.

The ground-breaking for the Veteran’s Community Village took place June 30, 2022, with the dedication of five houses.

Each completed tiny house has a furnished living space, bathroom and kitchen. There are two models: a 320 square-foot home and a 240 square-foot home. The larger model will accommodate up to seven people and the smaller model is for one or two people.

“Sioux Falls is the fourth expansion site for VCP with its initial start in 2016 in Kansas City, then spreading to Longmont, Colo., St, Louis, Mo. and then Sioux Falls,” said Kaelyn Giefer, community engagement coordinator for VCP.

“Though we are not housing any residents yet. If everything goes as planned, we hope to be housing our first five veterans by the end of June,” Giefer added.

And what about transportation issues once homeless veterans take up residence?

Giefer anticipates most of the veterans who will be moving into the tiny houses will have their own cars.

“Their car has more than likely been their home for quite some time,” said Giefer. “Still there will be some veterans that do not have cars, so we will work with them on other transportation methods and will help to get them a car if that is something that is part of their care plan.”

Builders Academy partnership took some convincing

Travis Lape, Harrisburg’s innovative program director, and Breanne Lynch, CTE coordinator, worked together to seek out a Home Builders Academy partnership with VCP. Both felt a veteran housing shortage did create opportunity for the Harrisburg Home Builders Academy. But their idea to involve the Builders Academy with the construction of tiny houses took some convincing when it came to VCP.

“When we approached VCP last summer about the Home Builders Academy building some of the tiny homes, we were turned down and told that the nonprofit didn’t work with high school kids,” said Lape.

But Lape believed their persistence paid off.

“Breanne Lynch attended meetings about VCP when the non-profit was first coming to town, and as soon as we had local staff, she remained persistent in getting the Harrisburg CTE program involved. It was not an easy process, as we are the first location to be working with a high school and having houses built offsite,” said Giefer.

It was VCP’s visit to the Builders Academy which became a gamechanger.

“When one of VCP’s founders visited the high school and saw all that was taking place in the construction classes, the non-profit changed its mind,” said Lape.

The announcement of the partnership came at a fitting time.

During the Harrisburg High School Veteran’s Day program in November of 2022, it was announced that the Home Builders Academy was partnering with VCP to build three tiny houses for the Veteran’s Community Village. The classes wasted no time getting started.

It takes a village

“VCP provided all the building materials for the Home Builders Academy to build the tiny houses,” said Michael Amolins, director of instruction.

Lots of local business support to VCP made that all possible.

“The necessary building materials had been supplied and donated by multiple local businesses,” said Giefer. “Showplace Cabinetry donated cabinets, Dakota Floors donated the floors, Norberg’s donated the paint, Sands Drywall, the drywall and BPI donated the siding, doors and windows.

“Jensen Electric will be doing the electrical, and the plumbing is being done by A-1,” she added.

“So many have been involved as the tiny homes near completion,” said Amolins. “The cost of each tiny home is between $75,000 and $80,000.”

A win win

“It is surprising how quickly this project has moved along,” said Lape. “Five tiny houses will soon be occupied at the Village. The three from Harrisburg will make it eight. VCP is especially pleased that though Sioux Falls became its fourth site, it has moved along faster than the other Veterans Community Villages and is the second to host a ribbon cutting.”

The VCP was a team effort said Lynch.

“Getting the Home Builders Academy involved was a great idea that became a team effort and an authentic, community-focused project. So many businesses, organizations and partners were needed to create the VCP Sioux Falls Village.”

Giefer says VCP couldn’t be happier with work done by the Builders Academy.

“The Harrisburg students built three 240 square-foot single-person houses for us as well as building all the walls for the first five family units. We will have 15 single units,” she said.

For Lape, the project “made learning happen”.

“Building the tiny houses has real-world application,” he said. “The community is wrapped around this project. Best of all, there is a return for kids.”

Students not only gained construction skills, but they will also be serving those who served for them.

“Harrisburg students and staff have learned a lot from this project,” said Wynia. “We are grateful to be a part of VCP, and we look forward to what next year will bring.”

This story originally appeared in Sioux Valley News.