Affordable tiny-home community coming to Saint John

A group in Saint John wants to bring the 12 Neighbours concept to the Port City.

The idea is to create a similar village of tiny homes to help with the housing and affordability crisis in Saint John.

Although still in the early stages, the goal is to gradually build between 75 and 80 homes on undeveloped land on the city's east side, explained David Alston, a Saint John entrepreneur and co-lead with Steve Belyea of the Sunnyside Tiny Home Community task force.

The land sits on the forested hill between Rothesay Avenue and Westmorland Road,and between Fern Hill Cemetery and the commercial developments that include Costco.

Alston said the location hits all of the key requirements for such a community, including proximity to bus routes and grocery stores.

Like Fredericton's 12 Neighbours, which has grown to include 96 homes, a cafand a training centre, Alston said the community will be a "housing-first model," where rents are capped at 30 per cent of a person's income.

WATCH | Tiny-home committee member explains benefits of village's location:

See the designs for a $10M tiny-home village for Saint John

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A 12 Neighbours-style affordable housing development will see up to 80 tiny homes built on undeveloped land on the citys east side, with rents capped at 30 per cent of a person's income, group says.

He estimates the price tag of the project at $10 millionand roughly $700,000-$800,000 has already been contributed, including a donation of some of the land and design work.

Alston said a significant community contribution will be necessary, although fundraising efforts have not yet begun.

Co-lead Belyeasaid he and Alston visited the 12 Neighbours project in Fredericton and were inspired by what was being done there.

"The insight we ... had that day was simple:the solution is portable. We could do it right here in our city of Saint John."

Once the pair started to talking to other people, Belyea said, "something amazing happened. Literally everyone we spoke to raised their hand and said,'How can I help?'"

Belyea said everyone"from individuals to businesses to not for profits to local governmentare all in on this.

"That's just how Saint John rolls."

Marcel LeBrun, the man behind the concept and creation of the 12 Neighbours community in Fredericton, has been advising the Saint John group. The Fredericton operation will also be directly involved in Sunnyside by building all of the homes.

Alston said the goal is to be able to match the growth of the 12 Neighbours site by adding a home a week.

He said it's too early to say when the first of the units will be in place because there's so much to do between now and then.

Once the community is up and running, the United Way will be the owner and operator of Sunnyside.

United Way senior executive director Alexya Heelis said the next step is to hire a project manager and to launch a fundraising campaign.

"These funds will help to cover the cost of the acquisition of the land, infrastructure and development programming and other needs," said Heelis.

"As the owner and operator of Sunnyside Tiny Home Community, United Way is going to ensure that this is not just a lot with tiny homes on it, but that this is a sustainable community where people can grow, share and thrive."

Alston said the project also needs more partners.

"So that's organizations, businesses, not for profits who want to come to the table with in-kind or discounted products and services," he said.

LeBrun said the secret ingredient to the success of such projects is community.

"Community is the healing agent. That is the powerful thing. And it's not just housing. Housing is one thing, but community is what really makes the difference and how we go about even building this ...It's everyone working together," he said.

"We are excited to share our model of an inclusive, community-first approach to housing. We are communitybuilders, not just home builders," says LeBrun.

Along with 12 Neighbours and the United Way, Saint John Energy is a partner in the project.The utility said it has already donated a portion of the land for Sunnyside and will also supply each home with a refurbished heat pump.

Alston said there's no specific timeline at the moment. He said the project will unfold "as we figure things out."

He said the goal is to have a proposal ready to present to Saint John's planning advisory committee "within the next 30 days."

If approved, Belyea said he's not sure how much construction can happen over the winterbut "but we're going to go hard at it just as fast as we can."

Alston, whoisrunning in the upcoming election for the Liberals in the riding of Saint John East against PC incumbent Glen Savoie, Tanya Graham of the People's Alliance, Josh Floyd of the NDP, and Gerald Irish for the Green Party, said the Sunnyside name was an obvious choice.

He said there's been a development "on the books now for 110 years in that forested, undeveloped land."

Provincial property records show a proposed street through the middle of the land called Sunnyside.

"And what's interesting about it was the plots on this street were kind of like for tiny homes, for smaller homes," said Alston.

"So 110 years ago they came up with the idea of Sunnyside and putting smaller homes in this community, but it never came to fruition. And now110 years laterwe thought,'What a nice throwback.'"