The Joplin City Council reconvenes tonight. One of the many items on the agenda is a progress report from Vita Nova Village and the possible construction of a tiny home community.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Improving homelessness and lowering the number of unhoused individuals in Joplin has been a sore subject for numerous iterations of the Joplin City Council for years.
While members are resistant to using additional public funds to lower the number of homeless people there has been little to no new private development that could help the situation either.
Tonight, at the council meeting, officials with Vita Nova Village will provide the body an update on their work, including the possible construction of a 10 duplex/20 tiny home community that includes office space, laundry units, and space for classes and community events. Dubbed, The Byers Project, new residents would be referred to the tiny house complex with proof that they’ve resided in Joplin, Webb City, Carl Junction, or Carthage for at least the past two years.
Vita Nova Village would first focus on homeless individuals as opposed to couples or families. They would also have to be sober, able to work, and pay monthly rent.
The formal portion of the Joplin City Council meeting gets underway tonight at 6.
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