ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The compound of six tiny homes in the corner of Central Lutheran Church’s parking lot on 15th and Cordova looks very different from a typical homeless shelter, especially now when everything is in bloom. The pilot project known as ‘In Our Backyard’ provides transitional housing for seniors experiencing homelessness and on a July day it is awash in colorful flowers and vegetable gardens.
“Like a year ago this was nothing, it was just some stakes on the ground,” said Julie Greene-Graham, the chair of In Our Backyard who said she is amazingly proud of the effort it took to get the project off the ground.“ Just the ‘wow’ of different church groups and community groups coming together to make this happen,” she said.
On Thursday many of those involved came together to celebrate the latest addition to the tiny homes, a large community garden planted just outside the fence as well as plants and vegetables inside the compound which residents who are considered “guests” are encouraged to harvest and use…