Tukwila Church Land Hosts 40-Unit Tiny House Village for Unhoused Residents

A South King County church with nearly a century of community ministry cut the ribbon Wednesday on 40 tiny houses built on its own property, giving homeless families, couples, individuals, and people with pets a staffed, fenced place to land while they work toward permanent housing.

The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) partnered with Church By the Side of the Road (CBSR) to open the village at 14820 Military Road South in Tukwila at 1:30 p.m. on March 11, 2026. Each of the 40 units measures 8 by 12 feet, roughly 96 square feet, and comes equipped with windows, electricity, insulation, heat, air conditioning, a smoke detector, a bed, furnishings, and a welcome kit.

CBSR Senior Pastor Terrence Proctor connected the project directly to the congregation's history. "Church By the Side of the Road Village is a wonderful reflection of our church's 94-year legacy of ministering to the needs of our Tukwila community and beyond," Proctor said. "What we can't do alone, we can do together!"

The site goes well beyond the individual units. Shared facilities include a community kitchen, a hygiene trailer with bathroom and shower access, a laundry room, recreation space, three staff offices, and a security pavilion. The village is fully fenced and staffed around the clock. Residents agree to a code of conduct and participate in case management designed to help them obtain identification, apply for income support, access healthcare, find employment, and secure permanent housing.

Rev. Curtis Taylor framed the village as an opening move in a larger plan. "This is just the first phase of what our ultimate goal is, and that is to have low-income housing on the opposite side of this lot along with our Church," Taylor said.

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay called the opening part of an urgent regional push. "Expanding available shelter is a core priority for my administration to break the cycle of homelessness, and we are acting with urgency to bring more people indoors with the services they need," Zahilay said. Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod echoed the sentiment: "The opening of the CBSR Tiny House Village is a powerful example of what can happen when nonprofits, faith communities and government partners come together with a shared purpose."

LIHI brings significant regional infrastructure to the project. The nonprofit holds a portfolio of more than 3,750 affordable apartments and sponsors 17 tiny house villages across King and Pierce counties. The new CBSR Village is LIHI's third tiny house operation in Tukwila, joining Riverton Park Village and Miracle Temple Village, the 28-unit site LIHI opened on Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ property at 14925 Interurban Avenue South in 2022.

The 96-square-foot footprint carries a practical regulatory dimension as well. City records note that other jurisdictions have treated structures under 120 square feet as falling within an International Building Code permit exemption, and Tukwila has historically allowed temporary encampments at established church sites without land use permitting, treating them as accessory to the institution's mission. The city has conducted life safety inspections for each new encampment under that framework.

Anyone with questions about the village can reach LIHI Community Engagement Manager Marta Kidane at marta.kidane@lihi.org or 206-858-0734.