DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines City Council approved a resolution on Monday night that establishes a new potential location for a tiny home village to house homeless individuals.

Joppa, a local nonprofit, has been trying to establish a tiny home village for the last several years. The organization has flirted with several other properties in the past, but now the early stages are underway for the Joppa Village near the old Chesterfield School property on Maury Street.

“We have been working with the City of Des Moines for years to develop a community that will provide permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals. While some project details have evolved over time, our vision for the Joppa Village has remained the same: Create a village community of unconditional love and support for our chronically homeless neighbors and help them rediscover hope, so they can once again become productive citizens and live a life of meaning.”

Media spokesperson for Joppa

The resolution begins the process for Joppa and the city to discuss plans for the village. It would sit on 5.5 acres of land located at 2501 Maury Steet and would have approximately 50 tiny homes in the Joppa Village at Chesterfield.

Some of those that live in the neighborhood are excited to see something beneficial come out of the property that has been sitting vacant for so long.

“I think it’ll be nice,” said Melanie Hernandez, who has been living in the neighborhood since 2018. “The building is kind of like an eye sore because it is a little old. But I think it will be nice to have, you know, homeless people actually have a home and be safe and, you know, feel secure. And maybe that will give them motivation to get a job, you know, make something for themselves.”

In the resolution, it is outlined by the city that if this is approved it will be a 20-year lease for the village on the property. It is also stated that the lease could be void if Joppa does not keep up with measurable performance indicators. Those indicators include: emergency service volume call, infrastructure condition and upkeep, tenant turnover, neighborhood feedback, health safety concerns, compliance with city codes and financial transparency.

Not everyone in the neighborhood was pleased with the proposed project. Two men that live right across the road from the property shared their frustrations with WHO 13 News, stating their concern to having chronically homeless individuals near their properties they lived in for decades. Some of their concerns were the cleanliness, potential crowds and crime if the project is approved.

This is the first official step for Joppa and the city. Joppa will have to secure and demonstrate all necessary financing for the project development and maintenance. Conversations are ongoing with the nonprofit organization and the Des Moines City Manager and Attorney. The final proposal will be brought to the city council for another vote if the terms are met and the city finds it satisfactory.

“We’re anxious to move forward as soon as possible building cottage homes that will provide permanent supportive housing to individuals who would otherwise be chronically homeless.”

Jim Hagberg, Joppa Village Project Director and Joppa Board of Director Secretary