Atlas Roofing Corporation partnered with the Veteran’s Community Project (VCP) in early 2018 to donate building products for a specialized community of tiny homes, constructed for veterans. With nearly a quarter of all homeless people in the United States being military veterans, the non-profit started the initiative to serve the community by providing transitional housing and to end cyclical homelessness affecting our military heroes.
To bring this vision to life, VCP turned to Atlas Roofing Corporation and other manufacturers with building expertise to create the nation’s first tiny home village in Kansas City. Since then, additional veteran communities are being planned and built, including locations serving the Longmont, CO and St. Louis, MO communities. These tiny homes, gifted to veterans mortgage-free, enable these men and women to rebuild their lives.
“Our partnership with Atlas Roofing has been instrumental in the successful completion of our first veteran village development,” said Brandonn Mixon, co-founder and Chief Project Officer at Veterans Community Project. “Thanks to the high R-value insulation that Atlas products offer, I am confident that our residents will stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while we keep our energy costs low. Along with adding the Atlas Pinnacle Pristine shingles that resist damage from high winds, we rest assured that the veterans will remain protected.”
Atlas and the VCP Have Reached Several Key Milestones Along the Way:
- Late 2017: The plan to create 13 tiny homes comes to fruition with the purchase of five acres from the government of Kansas City, the location of the first Veterans Village.
- November 2017: Atlas becomes a trusted manufacturing partner because of the company’s industry leading product portfolio and building products expertise. Atlas donates a full suite of building envelope solutions, including products from the company’s four major divisions – Polyiso Roof & Wall Insulation, Shingle & Underlayment, Molded products, and Web Technologies. Because the tiny homes were being built to stringent Kansas City residential building codes, the VCP selected Atlas to provide its suite of energy efficient construction products that are safe, cost-effective and sustainable. Atlas also brought in local contractors for the village buildout to ensure each homes full compliance with residential building codes.
- June 2018: The First Veterans Village is complete with 13 tiny homes being built and occupied by residents. Each tiny home is equipped with fully functioning electricity, plumbing and appliances. The Veterans Village is also complete with a full range of social services, including an active community center and a full-time staff of case managers to assist the veterans and ensure they are prepared for long-term success, which includes transitioning rehabilitated residents out to permanent housing solutions.
- August 2018: Phase Two Construction begins as Atlas employees, partners and volunteers come together to participate in the construction of an additional 13 tiny homes, which were added to the existing neighborhood of finished homes, a community center and resource facility. This made more room for homeless veterans, where they can seek rehabilitation, job assistance services and support from their peers in a safe environment. Atlas also provided contractor assistance – including project coordination and working with manufacturing partners who custom fabricated products for each home. Now 26 tiny homes make up the Veterans Village.
- May 2019: The VCP breaks ground on the Community Center, a 4,600 square foot facility that will provide case management services, education, health and wellness programming, social and community-led activities. The Community Center will offer a full continuum of care that enhances the housing support provided by the VCP village.
- Aug 2020: VCP expands to other cities by breaking ground on the tiny house village in Longmont, CO. The 2-acre property will consist of 26 tiny homes and a 3,000 square foot community center and is modeled after the successful Kansas City location.
- October 2020: The VCP and partners expand to the St. Louis metro area, where a village of tiny homes for veterans will be built.
- September 2021: VCP breaks ground in St. Louis to build a campus that includes a village of tiny houses for veterans experiencing homelessness and a Veterans Outreach Center to provide support services for any veteran in the St. Louis metro area.
Did You Know–Facts About Each Tiny Home:
- There are two tiny house models – single and family houses. The single occupancy tiny house is 240 sq ft, while the family house is 360 sq ft. and can sleep up to seven people.
- Each house is built on a concrete slab and connected to electricity and plumbing, just like any house being built today.
- The kitchen is fully equipped with a refrigerator, sink and 4-burner stove and oven.
- The bedroom area includes either a single or bunk bed set-up, whichever the resident prefers, accompanied by a wardrobe and night stand close by.
- The headquarters location in Kansas City now has a total of 49 houses. The community also has a Veteran Outreach Center to serve those who are housed and those in the community who need support.
