A Fayetteville nonprofit interested in building a tiny‑home village for veterans is asking the city for help clearing bureaucratic hurdles.
During a City Council work session Monday afternoon, Redeploying American Veterans President Jimmy Plater outlined the group’s vision: clusters of 400‑square‑foot homes paired with wrap‑around services designed to help veterans move into long‑term, stable housing.
“Our goal is to end homelessness for everyone, but we want to start with veterans,” Plater told council members.
Plater said the organization is evaluating two possible locations for the project. One is 4.6 acres at 1010 Johnson Street, where the group believes it could initially place 10 homes. The second site is off Westcliff Road near Bingham Road, though the nonprofit is still assessing how much usable acreage is available there and how the layout might work.
Plater said the group is open to other land options as it continues searching for a site that can support the full scope of the project.
Plater also told council members that the organization spent the past year canvassing Fayetteville and identified 28 unhoused veterans, though he stressed that the figure is likely an undercount because many veterans experiencing homelessness are difficult to locate or may not engage with outreach teams.
Redeploying American Veterans hopes to eventually build 22 tiny homes per acre, depending on how much land it can secure.
Zoning Help Requested
Plater asked the city to partner with the organization as it navigates zoning and permitting requirements, noting that tiny homes often fall into regulatory gray areas because of their size and construction type.
Councilmember D.J. Haire made a motion directing city staff to work with the nonprofit on those issues and to provide a list of city‑owned properties that could be suitable for the project. The motion passed unanimously.
Several council members also emphasized the need to bring Cumberland County into the conversation early so the nonprofit can begin presenting the proposal at the county level as well.
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
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