A small village for homeless residents has opened in the west of Scotland with the aim of empowering tenants with responsibility and time to get their lives back on track. The charity Social Bite has partnered with the Salvation Army for the management of the South Lanarkshire homeless village, called Harriet Gardens, which it spent some $3.5 million to build. Consisting of 15 “nest” units with 1 bed and 1 bath, Harriet Gardens provides residents with a gym, community space, and cooking facilities. Social Bite’s Josh Littlejohn believes it will be a big improvement over government sponsored homeless hostels, which generally create an environment of chaos. Jacqueline Fernie, a homelessness and housing manager for South Lanarkshire Council, views the independence and responsibility of renting a tiny home as being the right catalyst for someone being able to reverse course. The Salvation Army will be on site 24/7 to provide support of any kind for residents, including practical help, emotional support and guidance with day‑to‑day challenges.
