‘Just getting started’: Veterans Community Project completes tiny home Village in Longmont

The Village of 26 homes is the second fully completed VCP location nationwide and is now ready to welcome more Veteran residents

Under the Colorado sunset and in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Veterans Community Project of Longmont hosted a housewarming celebration this month for our 26-home Village. The event centered on community, connection, and what it truly means to be home.

“To those who joined us in person or who have supported us from afar, please know that you are a part of our family,” said Jennifer Seybold, Executive Director for VCP of Longmont. “Your belief, your generosity, and your unwavering commitment is what gives the dignity of home to our Veterans.”

She added, “And we're just getting started. In the months ahead, we look forward to welcoming more Veterans who need a safe place to land and a strong community to support them.”

There are currently 15 Veteran residents living in the transitional homes and, now that construction is complete, more will be able to move in this summer. The 26 homes range from 240-square-foot individual units to 320-square-foot family units. Residents, who stay an average of 14-16 months, work 1:1 with an on-site VCP case manager through our proprietary H.O.M.E.S. Index framework on their individualized goals toward achieving permanent housing readiness.

This model has demonstrated a radically effective 85% success rate nationwide since 2018. VCP of Longmont is one of six locations across the country, in addition to Glendale, Arizona; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and St. Louis, Missouri.

In Longmont, the Village is unique in that it’s the country’s first transitional housing community located within a new housing development. This structure was made possible by collaboration between Veterans Community Project, HMS Development, and the City of Longmont. “This enabled us to build VCP of Longmont as part of a thriving neighborhood, intentionally weaving Veterans into the fabric of the broader community—it was designed with connection in mind,” said Seybold.

Philanthropist Carrie Morgridge of the Morgridge Family Foundation further emphasized the importance of local collaboration and support, telling the Longmont Times-Call, “Knowing that the city of Longmont wanted this project is so important.” That type of civic involvement, as well as philanthropic support, are key components VCP identifies in our site selection process.

Morgridge, whose foundation provided critical funding to complete the Village, spoke at the housewarming to the proud smiles of community members in attendance.

Another speaker was Vic Young, one of three volunteers who have each spent more than 1,000 hours building the Village. He gave thanks to the hundreds of fellow volunteers who made the celebration possible and who paved the way to soon welcome more Veterans.

“When we look at what we’ve accomplished here, we surely can take pride in our work,” Young said. “Because you gave your time, we look at this wonderful Village that stands behind us here today.”

Now, while the Village in Longmont is complete, the mission is far from over. Because, Seybold explains, “this was never just about building houses—it is about building home for Veterans.”

VA and HUD data shows there are 978 Veterans experiencing homelessness in Colorado, largely concentrated in the Denver metropolitan area. VCP of Longmont aims to fix this problem through our residential program in the tiny home Village, as well as our Outreach Services work that focuses on connecting with at-risk and in-crisis Veterans in the community to help them get assistance.

Several months ago, U.S. Army Veteran Roy would have been among those 978 counted as experiencing homelessness. But today, he is getting back on track at VCP of Longmont.

He recently spoke with Denver7 about his experience since recently moving in, saying he has already been able to significantly improve his personal finances and start a new job.

“It is hard to put it into words,” he said. “This place is fixing my whole life.”

You can help Veterans like Roy today. Visit the Veterans Community Project of Longmont page to get involved through financial support, volunteerism, and more.