Nonprofit Unveils First of 25 Tiny Homes in Detroit
Cass Community Social Services of Detroit on Thursday unveiled the first of 25 undersize homes it plans to build in the city for low and moderate income people.
The nonprofit plans to build mini-homes with about 250 to 400 square feet in an area bounded by the John C. Lodge Service Drive on the east, Elmhurst Street on the south, Woodrow Wilson Street on the west and Cortland Street on the north.
The Tudor home introduced at 1564 Elmhurst St. (pictured above and below) has 300 square feet. For the time being, it's expected to be used as a model home for the project. The next six homes are expected to be done in November.
Each costs an estimated $40,000 to $50,000, and a few will have loft space, the agency said.
They'll be rented to tenants who make as little as $9,000 a year ($750 a month). After seven years, residents "earn" ownership. Rent will go for about $1 per square foot.
Renters will include former homeless people, college students and the elderly.
The project cost is about $1.2 million. Ford Motor Co. and its charitable fund gave $400,000 to the project.
The RNR Foundation of Plymouth provided a $65,000 grant.