In Lincoln, plans for tiny home village that would house former inmates cause a stir

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Lincoln nonprofit wants to build a tiny home village, but some neighbors have big concerns.

Bridges to Hope is seeking to build the 20-home development near 27th Street and Leighton Avenue.

The goal is to provide housing for homeless and formerly incarcerated people.

The executive director of the nonprofit said the project would help give those people a second chance.

“This has been an obstacle for the homeless population and those that have been incarcerated for quite some time,” Rhonda Mattingly said.

But community members are worried for several reasons.

“But can you guarantee that someone is going to change 100% and be the best version of themselves?” Ace Zaido asked. “You can’t.”

Peter Shoup, who has lived in the neighborhood for 21 years, said, “I can’t say that I would really want my kids outside.”

Several children live in the area.

And Zaido and Shoup said many of the families are immigrants who came to the community to get away from dangerous situations.

“There’s other areas that I feel would be more fit than right here on the outskirts of a neighborhood, right next to all of the parks and the bike trail, and where everything else is,” Shoup said. “Where you have families walking their kids, mothers walking their kids, kids coming home from school. I just feel that there’s a potential for problems.”

Bridges to Hope plans to have a village council, which will decide who stays in the homes.

And it won’t just focus on formerly incarcerated people.

“We will be able to open those up to homeless veterans or a homeless mother,” Mattingly said. “We don’t want to see everybody on the streets. I think it’s going to be a great solution for everybody.”

But Fadi Pirali, whose family lives in the area, said there aren’t many people who would feel comfortable living next to upward of 20 people who were behind bars.

“If you’re moving a bunch of people in who you necessarily wouldn’t want right next to you, your family, you’ll probably have to look for someplace else to move,” he said.

The project isn’t set in stone quite yet.

The City Council voted 6-1 on Monday to approve the sale of the land, but it hasn’t approved the project itself.

“I think it’s probably one of the best ways to give people the best chance of reintegrating into the community and being successful,” Councilwoman Sandra Washington said.

Community members say they will do whatever they can to stop it.

“Would a governor be happy having 20 houses like that built right next to his house, his family?” Zaido asked. “I 100% guarantee you he would not be happy about it.”