After selling his software business for millions, Marcel Lebrun decided to pour his time and money into an affordable housing project in Fredericton. CBC’s Harry Forestell takes a closer look at the 12 Neighbours community and its impact on the people who live there.

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[–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

What's the mix of singles and families in the group needing shelter?

What funds are available? Is it better to build 99 tiny houses or 50 regular but small houses or 25 moderately sized homes?

What land and services are available? Are there differences in permitting?

Are there differences in the construction process? Is it better to jumpstart a project returning nearly immediate results with a bunch of quick and easy to build tiny houses or to take much longer to build out?

What I'd like to see is the long term plan. Is this the beginning of something grand or just a bandaid. It's not that we don't sometimes need bandaids, but it would be nicer to see a longer term plan.

As a first step? Maybe it will prove to be a misstep, but at least someone is doing, not just talking. Learn as we go.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    This project looks like a jump up from Seattle’s various tiny homes villages (Nickelsville, Othello, etc), which are around 120sq.ft each and don’t have running water, if I recall. Those are considered temporary housing, but this is a like a next step up.

    Curious how these ones interact with building codes, etc, being more permanent.

    Either way, people who haven’t frozen to death, been stabbed, or OD’d have more options for recovery and moving forward.

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