Model cottages for hurricane recovery
As the Asheville region recovers from the terrible effects of Hurricane Helene, the coming year will see a huge need for emergency and long-term housing. As it happens, a nonprofit called Beloved Asheville is just now completing a tiny village that could be a model for building housing affordably and quickly.
These 12 cottages were built in the last few months, with construction beginning prior to the hurricane. The village reminds me a little of a logging or mining camp—especially the lack of landscaping to date—or a mountain version of the Katrina Cottage. Katrina Cottages were designed at the Mississippi Renewal Forum as an alternative to the FEMA trailer, and close to 4,000 were built. They impacted the tiny house movement later on.
The Asheville cottages are 440-625 square feet and have one bedroom and a loft, which could be another bedroom. They have a living room, bathroom, and galley kitchen. They all have an attractive yet simple, front porch. (The porch is also a prominent feature of the Katrina Cottage).
The site is steep, and the foundations are simple—four-by-fours in concrete footers. The shapes of the cottages are also simple, cutting down on exterior walls and costs. The dozen cottages are located in East Asheville, about two miles from downtown near US Route 70, on an infill site. They were built quickly with volunteer labor working alongside professionals, and residents will be chosen based on income of 15-55 percent of area median income.
The project is called the Beloved Village, built by Beloved Asheville. “Additionally, there is designated community space that residents will develop together including community gardens and recreational/gathering space for mind, body, and community wellness.”
I don’t know much more about this project, including the architect. I hope this project is repeated and that federal and local officials look at how mountain communities could follow this model.
Here’s a video of the village on Instagram:
