Local non-profit working to secure land for tiny shelter village in Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, Del. – A local non-profit is looking to help alleviate the burden of finding shelter on homeless people with a unique solution.

The Springboard Collaborative is currently working on securing land for a tiny shelter village, which would be built in Georgetown.

“Slowly, but surely, we started to realize that we’ve got to get to the fundamentals of the problem. So, my organization, the Springboard Collaborative, we’ve been working on a business plan for almost a year and a half now,” said Springboard Collaborative co-founder Judson Malone.

The site would have 30 two-bed shelters with air conditioning and heat. Malone says it would also be complete with bathroom and laundry facilities, and a community meeting space.

“One of the big objections, I think, that homeless people have expressed over time with not being willing to go to normal shelters, is they can’t bring partners. They can’t bring possessions. They can’t bring their pets. We say yes to all of that,” he said.

The site would also be staffed 24/7 by a care team. Malone tells 47 ABC the team would focus on assisting those who are struggling with addiction.

“Our only expectation is that they don’t use while they’re in the village setting. We have expert teams that will practice what’s called trauma informed care, harm reduction, to help them make their own personal decisions about how they want to move forward,” he said.

Malone says too many people are having to set up camp in the woods, and not enough options are available.

“We don’t have enough affordable housing. It takes too many years to develop it. In the meantime, we can’t have these people waiting in the woods to get that housing. So, the pallet shelters are interim, temporary,” he said.

Plus, the Springboard Collaborative has even bigger plans for the future. Malone says they’re also working on a business plan for permanent, affordable housing complete with support services. He adds that development would also follow the concept of “tiny” living spaces.

“A lot of what we’re going to test out and understand about how to deliver those supportive services in the temporary shelter will give us a model to move forward,” said Malone.

Malone says the organization was hoping to have the tiny shelter village open in time for the cold, winter months. However, it is expected to be complete and ready to welcome guests in May of 2022. Until then, Malone says if you or someone you know are experiencing homelessness, help can be found through Code Purple.