Initial TOOLBOX Release!

We are excited to announce that we are ready to pilot the Village TOOLBOX, which is now available on our website at: http://www.squareonevillages.org/toolbox

It's still very much a work in progress, but we wanted to go ahead and share what we believe to be useful information for groups setting out to start a village.

It begins with an introduction that delves into the housing problem, explores the emergence of a village model as a response to that problem, and expands on the purpose of the TOOLBOX. Then we get into a more detailed description of the village model—including key principles, components, and benefits of the model, and some critical considerations in deciding what type of village you want to pursue.

After that, we’ve boiled the process for starting a village down to a 10-step Roadmap. Currently its just that—a listing of the 10 steps. We’re in the midst of developing a more detailed collection of tips, tasks, and tools for each of those steps, and determining how to best disseminate this type of information. The TOOLBOX also includes sections for case studies and tiny house plans. These sections are also in early stages of development—with plans to expand them over time.

We are experimenting in trying to find a way to make this living resource financially sustainable, and so for the initial release, we're asking that you consider becoming a Village Sustainer by making a modest recurring donation (details in the link above).

It's our hope that this can be the beginning of a collective effort to advance the development of tiny house villages aimed at addressing issues of homelessness and the lack of affordable housing across our nation!