Tacoma Rescue Mission wins approval for 285-home tiny house village

Tacoma Rescue Mission cleared the last major hurdle for Good Neighbor Village in Spanaway, opening the way for a 285-home tiny house community for chronically homeless residents. The project is planned for 89 acres near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, but only 27 acres will be used for housing, leaving the rest of the property as wetlands and open space.

The approval did not come quickly. Pierce County’s Hearing Examiner signed off on the conditional use permit in June 2024 after seven days of testimony and public comment, and Washington Court of Appeals Division II later upheld that decision after Spanaway Concerned Citizens challenged it. That ruling closed another door on uncertainty and moved the project from hearings and appeals toward construction.

Tacoma Rescue Mission says phase one will include 150 single-unit homes, with the full village eventually reaching 285 homes. County materials say the project is expected to deliver 50 affordable homes by June 2027, and other reporting has said the first cottages could be ready before the full build-out, which may stretch to 2028. Court filings also described the village as park-model homes and sleeping units, a reminder that this is being built as a planned neighborhood rather than a temporary encampment.

The service model is just as central as the housing. On-site care is planned for health and dental needs, mental health counseling, addiction recovery treatment and job opportunities. Residents will pay rent and follow community rules, part of Tacoma Rescue Mission’s effort to create a structured community for people who have been living without stable shelter. The organization says the design is meant to restore dignity, purpose and stability for Pierce County’s chronically homeless neighbors.

The village also carries the imprint of Tacoma Rescue Mission’s long run in the county, where it has operated since 1912. Its concept was shaped in part by Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, and the mission says it will both fundraise for and operate the site. Supporters have argued for years that Spanaway could become a long-term answer to homelessness, and now the project is finally at the point where ground can be broken and the first homes can start taking shape.