Florence organization aiming to build tiny houses for homeless
FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — House of Hope is working to build about 24 tiny houses for homeless families in Florence.
The organization provides shelter and temporary housing for those with no place to go and is looking to build the homes on a vacant lot next to their facility on West Darlington Street in Florence.
House of Hope's Executive Director Bryan Braddock said there's a homeless problem in Florence that people may not realize exist.
“People think of homeless in terms of families living on the street or in their car or underneath the bridge. But, there’s so many people that are bouncing from house to house or hotel to hotel or couch to couch and they are not able to get any kind of stability-- not able to get stability for their children in school. There’s a huge problem with homelessness in the area and we don’t see it like you see in big city. We don’t see women walking down the streets with your children in a stroller, and you know, sleeping on the corner," said Braddock.
The city has approved the zoning change for the tiny house project, but additional funding is needed. The homes cost about $15,000 to $20,000 each to build. The total cost for the project comes to about $400,000.
House of Hope has already raised about $150,000, but still has a ways to go. iHeartMedia has joined the effort to help the organization raise an additional $125,000 for the tiny homes.
They're hosting a radio drive from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.
This will include Eagle 92.9, 105.5 The Beat, 103 X, The Flo 102.9 and The Rock FMS.
Additionally, iHeartMedia will have a special phone-in radio-a-thon on Dec. 3 (Giving Tuesday) and will have opportunities for companies to come to deliver donations in person.
Braddock said he's pleased that the radio station has joined in to help.
"With the money raised from this fundraiser with iHeartMedia, another $125,000 and then we have some other donors that we’re talking to now to kind of bridge that gap. It takes a Community. It takes a Community to put it together. And we’re going to use the community to help build them. So, we are going to get all the materials. And they are going to come on-site and we’re going to get volunteers to come along and help us. Along with contractors. And we are going to build them all together," said Braddock.
You can visit the organization's website to see how you can help.
