Tiny home community in Kelowna fully operational with programs up and running
Global News
Step Place, located on Crowley Avenue, is comprised of 60 tiny homes the size of a garden shed.
After living in tents and homeless shelters for several years, Kristina Bath finally has a tiny home to call her own at Kelowna, B.C.’s, Step Place.
“Things just happened. I lost my place and couldn’t find another one. It was really hard,” Bath said. “I was in a tent for a long time and alone so here it’s like a community, kind of like family.”
The 45-year old woman got emotional talking about her situation and the impact a tiny home is having on her day-to-day life.
“You have your own space, up can retreat to your own space, close your doors and lock it and your stuff is safe and it’s a totally different feeling than the shelters,” Bath told Global News.
Step Place, located on Crowley Avenue, is comprised of 60 tiny homes the size of a garden shed.
The homes are currently being wrapped in colourful vinyl to give them a more ‘homey” look and feel and other final touches are being made to give the residents experiencing homelessness a sense of belonging.
“As soon as it gets warmer, we’re going to start doing some flower boxes, we will bring in a couple of gazebos,” said Patricia Bacon, executive director for John Howard Society of Okanagan and Kootenay, which operates the site.
The site also has a communal kitchen, washroom facilities and other amenities such as access to computers and a wide range of programs to help people get back on their feet.