'First of its kind': New community of tiny homes for homeless in US

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Music City has opened a brand new community made up of tiny homes to house the homeless in South Nashville, Tennessee.

The Village at Glencliff held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. District 16 Metro Councilwoman Ginny Welsch says the village—located on the property at the Glencliff United Methodist Church—is the first of its kind in the United States.

"It's been a very long time coming, but today we finally cut the ribbon and officially welcomed the Village at Glencliff to the 16th!" Welsch wrote in a Facebook post.

A $270,000 grant was awarded by the Center for Disease Control Foundation and the National Institute for Medical Respite Care to make the Village at Glencliff happen, according to a report.

"This respite village for the unhoused is the first of its kind in the country, and I couldn't be prouder of Rev. Ingrid McIntrye and the congregation at Glencliff United Methodist Church for their work in bringing this beautiful place to life," Welsch said.

The district is asking the public for donations to finish furnishing some of the tiny homes. Items needed include things like coffee makers, mini-refrigerators, dinnerware and televisions. Click here for a complete list.

"We are fundraising to complete phase two, which is 10 more tiny houses. All the infrastructure is in place, we just need to build out and furnish the houses," Welsch said in an email.

Since its proposition, the project has sparked debate among residents in the area. Most neighbors cited concerns about property values, security, and having potential criminals in their neighborhood.

“We don’t know if the residents that are going to come into this neighborhood are going to be criminals, people that can’t do for themselves, or won’t get a job,” homeowner Dwight Laughlin told WZTV in 2017.