Concord Nonprofit Plans 30-Unit Tiny Home Community for Homeless Residents

A nonprofit is aiming to establish a transitional tiny home community in Concord to help people move from homelessness to permanent housing.

The idea for the project came to Teri Gladstone while she was helping serve lunch to people experiencing homelessness under the Storrs Street overpass. For several years, Gladstone served as a part-time staff member at the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, helping people in need find housing.

“There are folks out there. They were really excited about getting into an apartment, but they weren't ready,” Gladstone said in a statement shared with the Concord Monitor. “They had other things that they needed to deal with first.”

City leadership has shown openness to the concept, with early discussions ongoing among city, county, and state officials to advance the plan. Gladstone noted that similar programs exist in other states, but resources — including land and money — are the next step and the major hurdle toward realizing the vision.

The plan envisions two phases totaling about 30 standalone units, each approximately 350 square feet, with minimal kitchenettes and bathrooms, plus a shared clubhouse, laundry, and classroom and case management space.

“It's not permanent housing: The whole idea is to not be too comfortable there, so that they want to move on to get into an apartment of their own,” Gladstone explained to the Concord Monitor. “Part of the program is to get them to learn to become a better tenant and a better citizen in the community before they go into an apartment.” 

Residents would pay reduced rent and contribute labor to the community — tasks such as gardening, maintenance, and trash collection — as part of preparing them for permanent housing.

Support would come through partnerships with local service organizations rather than on-site case workers.

According to a Business New Hampshire Magazine report, funding and land acquisition hinge on building codes, land prices, and builder choices, with ongoing engagement of city, county, and state officials to assess feasibility.