With offer of ‘zero rent,’ tiny home villages extend housing – and hope – for homeless veterans

After struggling with addiction and homelessness, Iraq War veteran Kyle Hanssen said a nonprofit organization’s offer of free housing at a tiny homes village seemed too good to pass up

But Hanssen, a former lance corporal in the Marine Corps, first had to commit to a rehabilitation program that consisted of mental-health counseling, job training and weekly drug tests.

With a focus on accountability, the Veterans Community Project — which is expanding nationwide — provides temporary housing in 240-square-foot homes for veterans who stay an average of 335 days to address problems and implement a plan for independent living.

“While living in a tiny home in our village, veterans pay zero in rent. We only ask that they put in the work investing in their future by working our case management program,” said Bryan Meyer, chief executive officer and a veteran co-founder of Veterans Community Project...