Tiny Homes, Big Questions: Seattle’s New Plan for Homelessness

Seattle is gearing up for an interesting fall with plans to open two new tiny home villages aimed at helping the homeless. That’s right—over 100 tiny homes are set to break ground, courtesy of the nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute and the city itself. While this move raises the number of tiny home villages in Seattle to 13, it’s also stirred a heated debate among critics who argue it’s not the long-term fix we need. After all, should we be celebrating tiny homes when the bigger picture seems to be slipping through our fingers?

Mayor Bruce Harrell is optimistic about this initiative, describing it as part of a multifaceted approach to homelessness that includes more shelters, services, and permanent housing. The plan is backed by a cool $5.9 million pulled from the city’s budget for 2025—a hefty sum to potentially house many displaced individuals. But, just for fun, let’s consider: how many tiny homes would it take to actually tackle this issue? Fifty? A hundred? Maybe a city-sized patch of homes right in Pioneer Square?

Supporters, including King County Executive Shannon Braddock, believe these villages will help people transition from living in tents to something a little more stable—or “tiny.” But with a staggering 16,868 people still unhoused in King County, the clock is ticking. Can tiny homes truly fill the gap, or are we just dancing around the real problem? Leave it to Seattle to find a nifty way to upgrade from tents to tiny homes—talk about a home improvement project with a twist!

What’s your take on tiny homes as a solution? Could they be the key to helping our unhoused neighbors, or just a cozy distraction from a much larger crisis?

About the Author

View All Posts