Tiny houses village initiative would help homeless veterans in Fayetteville: 'We owe them'
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Veterans make up less than 10% of North Carolina's population, yet they account for nearly one-fifth of the state's homeless population, with 28 homeless veterans in Fayetteville, according to veteran advocacy groups.
A new Fayetteville nonprofit is working to change that.
Redeploying American Veterans, a nonprofit founded by retired Army veteran Jimmy Plater, is hoping to launch the city's first tiny home village designed specifically for homeless veterans. The project aims to provide safe, stable housing while offering mental health support and job training to help veterans rebuild their lives.
Plater, a 30-year Army veteran who retired from Fort Bragg in 2015, said his own military experience motivated him to act.
"I retired here at Fort Bragg in 2015, and my family is here. I'm here," Plater said. "The purpose of RAV is to provide tiny homes for homeless veterans, primarily the ones that are hidden homeless, and to bring them back into our population."
The organization received approval from city leaders to move forward with the project, which will include six fully furnished, one-bedroom tiny homes. Each home will be approximately 400 square feet.
According to Plater, the village is designed not only to reduce homelessness but also to address veteran suicide and relieve pressure on local shelters.
"Right now, our concept is a one-bedroom, fully furnished tiny home," he said.
Plater said many homeless veterans did not anticipate falling into homelessness and often struggle with challenges such as mental health issues, lack of civilian job training, or financial instability after leaving the military.
"For anyone that has served in the military that is homeless, we owe them a debt of gratitude," Plater said. "Most of them didn't ask to be homeless due to circumstances."
The nonprofit expects to break ground within the next six months. The first group of veterans is projected to move into the village by 2027.
