Tag: Communities

Odessa Community News

Written by Founder on January 27, 2026. Posted in Communities, Founder's Blog, Odessa - Eco-village. No Comments on Odessa Community News

We have just uploaded our Agreement and Community Handbook for the Odessa Eco-village. Together they outline the obligations of the community and members, the cost to join the community, as well as how we plan to develop an affordable Eco-village. This is the culmination of an eight-year journey to find a way create community, where profit isn’t the reason for housing, and eco-living can be a lifestyle choice.

We are looking forward to breaking ground this Spring (2026), with the goal to have the village fully operational by the end of 2029.

If you wonder about your ability to afford a place to live either as someone starting out or an empty-nester that is looking to downsize; if you like the idea of community and knowing the people that live around you; if you think having your own space where you can garden and live autonomously is an unrealistic dream; if you are willing to trade a little time in the community for truly affordable living, then read about the Odessa Eco-village for more information. There are 27-spots in the community, and only 26 remain.

Eco-village Update

Written by Founder on December 6, 2025. Posted in Communities, Founder's Blog, News. No Comments on Eco-village Update

If you haven’t seen the latest news and information about our Eco-village project, check out the full details here: https://tinytownassociation.com/odessa-eco-village

We’ve now added information about:

Vertical Farming
Community Hub
Cabins
Small Modular Homes
Membership costs
Projected living expenses

If your interested in a new future of living, check out the latest news, as there are only 27-openings in the community!

Update Elliot Lake Community Design

Written by Founder on November 10, 2023. Posted in Communities, Founder's Blog. 22 Comments on Update Elliot Lake Community Design

After feedback from the community on our initial Elliot Lake community design, and informal consultation with Elliot Lake planning, building, emergency services departments, and city staff we have updated the plan to include a number of key features:

parking at each tiny home,
snow storage at the corners of the development,
82-homes in the community,
8-pocket neighbourhoods,
expanded 10,000 sq ft community center including:
- solar/small wind generation rooftop,
- commercial kitchen,
- dining room,
- coffee shop,
- lounge,
- artisans shops,
- co-working space,
- fitness center/yoga,
- health clinic.
gazebos, community gardens (both flower & vegetable), picnic areas, firepits, community parks, greenhouse, community storage units,
bus shelter,
off-leash dog park.

Most features will be limited to community members, however some features will be accessible to the greater Elliot Lake community.

Yup, it’s Winter

Written by Founder on December 17, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog.

When you step outside & it’s cold, imagine you’re stepping into a homeless person’s living room

because you are. Let’s make homelessness history!

https://24Pillars.com

Help me get the house out!

Written by Founder on December 17, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog.

After the launch of the Tiny Town Association, several suppliers donated the contents of a tiny home for an Ontario city tour, then to help someone in housing need. After a sponsor pulled out, and COVID hit, my garage turned into a component warehouse! Please help me get the house out of my garage with a Tiny Home Build Series subscription ($5/month) on https://24pillars.com so we can begin our building plan for the homeless.

24Pillars Initiative Update

Written by Founder on December 15, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog.

I am very excited to announce a major update to the 24Pillars Initiative. We have launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to build 2-tiny homes. One home will be donated to a local supportive housing agency to help someone in housing need, and the second (which will be a Smart Tiny Home) will be given away to a lucky subscriber to our Tiny Home Build Series. The Build Series will be a video and live-stream of the building of the tiny homes. We will explore the complete build process in-depth, providing those interested in the process, or contemplating a tiny home DIY project, details of every step of the way. Subscription information will be available once the initial home foundation order has been placed. Check out the revamped website for all the details https://24Pillars.com or the https://GoFund.Me/d943f5cb

Moving Forward

Written by Founder on December 10, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog. No Comments on Moving Forward

Progress continues to on a number of projects:

I spoke with the City of Kingston about a location where St Lawrence College’s Introduction to Construction Course can work on build tiny homes for Home Base Housing’s homeless programs and we’re encouraged that space will be found.
I also discussed a 24-tiny home community development in Kingston, and it looks very possible that this project will move ahead. More details will follow as the project unfolds.
I got updated pricing on tiny home steel foundations today, and it was really bad news. The price of steel is going up drastically as a result of work/material shortages from COVID. This is pushing the price up by as much as 40%. This is a significant component in a tiny home, and also in steel frame construction of all types. Expect prices to rise.
I am updating the 24Pillars initiative website, to reflect the projects in the works, that are helping define what 24Pillars is all about. In a nutshell, the project is expected to build affordable communities while helping some of Canada’s most vulnerable get access to housing.
If you are interested in a short-term investment opportunity, drop me a note.
I am working on a GoFundMe campaign to fund the first 24Pillars’ homeless build. Watch for details and help if you can by donating and sharing the link.

What for more news here as things happen. A great way to keep informed is by joining the Association. Your annual $25 membership can help keep things moving forward.

In the Works

Written by Founder on November 30, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog.

We are always working on projects to help advance the tiny home movement and often I get so caught up in the process, I neglect to inform everyone. I have decided to leak this update of things in the works:

Tiny Home Show & Conference is being planned for August 4-7, tentatively at the Ancaster fairgrounds (Pandemic restrictions allowing)
Watch for news about the show as it unfolds on: https://tinyhome.show
- This is a collaborative project between the Tiny Town Association and:
- Planned events include:
  - Open house tours of several tiny homes,
  - Trade show & consumer market,
  - Seminars by tiny home celebrities & experts on:
  - Community design showcase, of a 4-home urban Pocket community layout,
  - Municipal/Media VIP show access with events focused on:
    - tiny home building code framework,
    - tiny home community zoning framework,
    - tiny home land-lease framework,
    - modeling communities for long-term affordability,
    - tiny home vs mobile home vs trailer
  - Tiny home design challenge open to high schools, colleges, and universities:
    - Peoples’ Choice Award
    - Most Innovative Design Award
    - cash prizes
  - Tiny home build competition to determine:
Supportive tiny home community project Thunder Bay, tiny home & community consultant, project team advisor
College Boréal Sudbury partnership in an NSERC Social Innovation Fund project, A Comprehensive Study: Building a Modular Tiny Home Standard for an Affordable & Supportive Rapid Housing Solution
In association with St Lawrence College’s (SLC) Kingston, skills training program to build 3 tiny homes for Supportive housing. The p[roject will provide participants an opportunity to work on all aspects of home construction while building homes for people in need.
https://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/community/innovation-and-business-engagement/workforce-and-economic-development
Building a Logan36 tiny model home that will be on display along with the 3 SLC tiny homes as a demonstration of a Pocket Community site at the TinyHome.Show. The home will be given away to one lucky subscriber to our tiny lifestyle video series.
Queen’s Solar Design Team partnership designing and engineering a fully off-grid, autonomous tiny house build for a 2023 competition entry.
https://www.qsdt.net
Working to create a tiny home building code framework and tiny home community framework through CIP and FCM. Applying for funding under the Green Municipal Fund.
In partnership with Hammarskjold School (high school) Thunder Bay, for their indigenous student tiny home building program. Funding is provided by the Port Arthur Rotary Club and CMHC. The completed home is planned to be installed in the Thunder Bay supportive housing project, owned and managed by Matawa First Nations Non-Profit Housing Corporation
https://kzlodgehammarskjold.wordpress.com
http://www.matawa.on.ca/corporations/matawa-non-profit-housing-corporation
Collaboration with Colliers Project Leaders for 1^st Showcase Community build
https://www.colliersprojectleaders.com
Working with Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada to develop our community co-operative model
Community builder Investor presentation and video – Municipal version coming soon
Potential build locations for our Showcase Tiny Home Community include:
- Kingston
- Orillia
- Sudbury

Twenty tiny homes in La Loche

Written by Founder on October 26, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog. No Comments on Twenty tiny homes in La Loche

Here is another tiny home community project in La Loche, Saskatchewan. They are building 20-tiny homes for low-income and the homeless. The units will include a kitchen, living room, one bedroom, a bathroom, and laundry amenities.

Read the full article here: https://sasknow.com/2021/10/19/twenty-tiny-homes-to-benefit-low-income-and-homeless-residents-in-la-loche

Fredericton NB Tiny Home Initiative

Written by Founder on September 17, 2021. Posted in Founder's Blog. 1 Comment on Fredericton NB Tiny Home Initiative

Here’s a great article about a tiny home project in Fredericton, New Brunswick to build a tiny home community to address some of their affordable housing needs. Started by 12 Neighbours Inc. a local not-for-profit, they are putting forth a proposal to the city council to build a community of 96 tiny homes on a 24-hectare lot on Fredericton’s north side.

Read the full article here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/12-neighbours-marcel-lebrun-tiny-homes-fredericton-affordable-housing-1.6174811

Here’s a link to the 12 Neighbours Inc. website: https://www.12neighbours.com