Clusters

From Unregulated Trailer Parks to Tiny House Villages: Breaking Free from the Poverty Cycle and Empowering Local Entrepreneurs

Rent-controlled apartments and subsidized housing provide some stability but offer no path to ownership. Renters can afford to live—but not to grow. There’s no space to garden or start a business, and no time to learn skills, rest, and recover. The system provides just enough to stay afloat—but never enough to move forward.

For those who can’t even access these rentals, the situation is worse. Many workers end up in unregulated trailer rentals, paying cash for substandard housing with no lease or protections. These setups exist only because legal alternatives don’t.

But it’s not just about money—poor living conditions actively harm people. Many of these trailers are uninsulated, moldy, or have unsafe wiring and plumbing. Living in these conditions causes chronic stress, health problems, and constant instability. 

Affordable housing should be a foundation for independence, not a ceiling that limits how far people can go.

By shifting from temporary, restrictive rental models to housing that supports ownership, flexibility, and community-driven work, we can break out of the cycle.

Tiny house villages, worker-owned land, and sustainable housing aren’t just possible—they’re necessary for a future where people can thrive, not just survive.

The time to start is now.

What Is a Rural Housing Cluster?

A rural housing cluster is a planning model that allows several modest homes to be built close together on a portion of rural land, while preserving the rest of the property as open space, farmland, or forest.

These clusters:

  • Conserve land through compact building footprints.

  • Reduce infrastructure costs by sharing driveways, utilities, and septic systems.

  • Support affordability through flexible ownership models and low-impact design.

  • Preserve rural character by minimizing sprawl and avoiding suburban-style development.

CCR Guided developments are designed to include:

  • Small, efficient homes with a low environmental footprint

  • Shared infrastructure, including driveways, water systems, and renewable energy

  • Opportunities for ownership through work-exchange, shared equity, and rent-to-own structures

  • Flexible governance, using models like LLCs, nonprofits, and co-ops

  • Dedicated areas for food growing, service work, cultural events, education, and creative repair- all contributing to a resilient local economy.

  • Increased biodiversity and healthier wild spaces, because critters need homes too.

  • Unified Themes, agreed upon by the residents.

    Navigating land use regulations isn’t easy, but we’re committed to finding legal, workable pathways that allow more people to live in safe, functional, and inspiring spaces.

Basic Infrastructure & Micro-loan Fund for Zone Stewardship, Housing Upgrades, & Buyouts

How It Works:

  1. Person Applies for a CCR Loan

    • They can request funding to:

      -Start, buy into, or develop a zone within a housing LLC or co-ownership structure

      -upgrade essential amenities within their existing dwelling.

    • CCR approves funding based on community fit, repayment ability, and development impact.

  2. Loan is Given, But Funds Are Restricted

    • The loan does not go to the individual directly—instead, it is deposited into the collective housing LLC or legal co-ownership entity.

    • In the case of an accommodation upgrade, receipts must be provided.

      This ensures all money stays within the community development system and isn’t used for unrelated expenses.

  3. Repayment Options

    • The borrower must pay back the full amount either:

      • In lump sum at any time

      • Over time through structured payments.

  4. What Happens If They Leave Early?

    • If they haven’t fully repaid, they must sell their shares to someone approved by the collective.

    • If no replacement is found within the LLCs time frame, CCR gets first buyback rights, so the collective can lease the parcel until the right person is found.

    • Any remaining debt is either taken on by the new occupant or paid in full by the departing member if the sale is a full cash purchase.

Center for Creative Repair + Resident owned and operated LLCS

The nonprofit ensures affordability, enforces community guidelines, creates legal structures, and provides development loans for resident-led rural cluster projects.

Each cluster is owned by its residents through an LLC, with CCR holding a percentage tied to the community space, affordable rentals, and shares reserved for residents in the process of buying in or out. This structure lets CCR protect affordability and mission alignment while residents maintain day-to-day control.

Every property carries a county-filed easement guaranteeing permanent affordability. Rent is capped within the LLC at whichever is lower: half of the lowest quartile income or one-quarter of the median income. Renters can transition to ownership through a rent-to-own process approved by a vote of the residents.

The LLC agreement defines how owners select renters, approve new owners, manage repairs, and make major decisions. Buy-in and buy-out processes ensure units remain affordable, with CCR able to step in to purchase and hold units if needed.

This structure is designed for people who want to live and work in a sustainable, cooperative environment—builders, local workers, entrepreneurs, farmers, artists, retirees, famillies, and innovators—offering a balance of personal investment, shared responsibility, and long-term community stability.

Supporting Work-Trade, Low-Income, and Intergenerational Communities

Work-Trade & No-Income Residents:
Many highly skilled and self-motivated individuals struggle with traditional employment due to disabilities, neurodivergence, chronic illness (including long COVID), or trauma. These conditions create a need for flexible, self-paced work that prioritizes nervous system regulation and sustainability over rigid productivity standards. Some people naturally thrive in a barter-based system where they can exchange skills, care, and maintenance in return for housing and resources.

For these individuals, on-site work-exchange positions provide stability while allowing them to contribute to a functioning ecosystem—whether through repairs, teaching, creating, farming, or organizing shared resources. Work-exchangers receive access to tools, materials, and education, offering a pathway to financial independence if they choose to transition into income-generating roles. Over time, this model can foster low-cost entrepreneurship, cooperative businesses, and community-based economic resilience.

Low-Income Residents & Long-Term Locals:
This is the largest demographic in need of stable housing, and is primarily working class individuals. Typically, an apartment complex or trailer park would be created, but given the desire to preserve Orcas Island’s natural and rustic character, we should have villages with tiny homes and movable, prebuilt units.

    • Residents would pay for their plot space, which covers utilities and maintenance.

    • A situation-based income contribution ensures fairness—lower for those with minimal income or other duties, higher for those who can afford more or need more space.

    • Those financing their own tiny homes could opt for a rent-to-own model, helping them achieve ownership over time.

    • Applications could be open to individuals, groups, or cohabitating households, depending on the location and site infrastructure.

Retirees & Students, Intergenerational Exchange:
Many retired individuals seek to downsize while staying engaged in a meaningful, social environment. Our community surveys found that many retirees want to mentor, teach, or participate in knowledge-sharing but lack an accessible, built-in space to do so.
Communal villages that integrate workshops, learning spaces, and childcare support allow for natural mentorship and intergenerational skill-sharing. Students and young professionals benefit from stable, affordable housing while gaining access to a built-in support network of experienced mentors, teachers, and tradespeople.

  • Seasonal Workers: A Modular Approach
    Given the fluctuating workforce needs of agriculture, tourism, and land-based industries, seasonal workers would have access to a dedicated camping and temporary housing zones connected to the larger village. This would include:

    • Camping platforms, electric hookups, and vehicle lots

    • Shared kitchens, bathrooms, and tool sheds

    • Seasonal-use yurts, bell tents, and canvas structures, which could be dismantled or repurposed after the season ends

    • Emergency-use shelters for housing-insecure individuals during transition periods

Conclusion:
By integrating work-trade, cooperative housing, rent-to-own models, and seasonal workforce accommodations, these villages provide not just stability but also paths toward economic mobility and community resilience. The goal is to create systems that support people wherever they are in life—whether they need long-term affordable housing, a temporary stepping stone, or a place to launch their next chapter.

On-Site Healing & Recovery Through Immersive Learning

For individuals recovering from trauma, chronic illness, burnout, or life transitions, having a stable, supportive environment is key to rebuilding health and purpose, especially after long periods of housing instability. These villages would provide a low-stress, self-paced living space where residents can focus on healing while engaging in hands-on learning that aids recovery.

  • Residents could live on-site while taking skill-based classes, art workshops, regenerative agriculture courses, or bodywork training—all designed to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

  • Access to natural spaces, movement-based practices (like yoga or dance), music, and therapeutic work-trade opportunities would allow people to regain energy at their own pace.

  • Some may eventually transition into work-trade, mentorship, or leadership roles once they feel ready, while others may use their time on-site as a stepping stone toward independent living.

By integrating healing with skill-building and community engagement, this model ensures that those in recovery don’t just receive support—they actively rebuild their confidence, capabilities, and sense of belonging in a way that is meaningful and sustainable.