Two weeks ago, a small group of volunteers working in Moccasin Flats started a fundraiser with a $1,000 goal to build a couple of tiny homes for people to shelter in over the winter.
Today, the Prince George community has donated around $10,000 to support the cause.
“Prestige Hotel gave us $1,500, We had somebody drop off $1,500 worth of supplies, we had someone else drop off $1,500 in gift cards, the support has been insane,” Phillip Fredriksson, one of the fundraiser organizers, told My PG Now. “Our original idea was we just wanted to finish the bunker house, and maybe some tiny homes… but there has been such a big outpouring of support.”
He said all the proceeds from Prestige’s December 6th Breakfast with Santa event will also go towards building tiny homes.
From building materials and construction to insulation, windows, doors, and heating, Fredriksson said a tiny home only costs around $1,500 to build.
There are three pregnant women currently living in the encampment, they will be given the first homes.
From there, Fredriksson said they will be handed out based on need. 55 people have requested a tiny home.
He said “We are going to work until we can’t, but I don’t see that stopping because we continue to receive support.”
While these shelters are inexpensive and a great way to keep people out of direct contact with a harsh Prince George winter, Fredriksson does not see these homes as a full-time solution.
“These will last one or two years, but I don’t see them being permanent structures,” he explained, predicting a 1-2 year lifespan per home. “We are doing the best we can to get people inside something insulated before the cold hits. I don’t see it as an answer, but I do see it as saving lives.”
Looking long-term, Fredriksson hopes the recent BC Housing purchases of the North Star Inn and Lotus Hotel will see around half of the people living in Moccasin Flats move indoors.
While the two locations are supposed to have enough space to house everyone in the encampment, he said some will choose to remain outside and look for more permanent housing instead of moving into a hotel or temporary accommodation.
“I think it is important people know we are dealing with vulnerable and traumatized people,” he explained.
You can find the tiny home GoFundMe fundraiser here.
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