By Daniel Payne
CNA staff, August 14, 2024 / 3:06 p.m.
The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City (CCAOKC) is promoting the creation of affordable housing in the region through the development of a so-called “pocket neighborhood” of manufactured homes.
The CCAOKC’s Caritas Casitas initiative consists of “a small neighborhood of 12 single-family homes designed to encourage neighborly interaction while protecting privacy,” the organization’s website states. The state has a “severe shortage of affordable housing,” the charity says.
The charity announced the delivery of the prefab homes on its Facebook page on Monday. The homes “can be assembled within hours and have all the modern amenities needed for a comfortable, dignified home,” the announcement said.
Workers were on site Tuesday for a public “installation tour” assembling the structures. The units consist of a “cost-effective, modular, transportable home equipped with a full kitchen and bathroom, washer/dryer and heating/air conditioning.”
The homes, built by Las Vegas-based BOXABL, have 4,000 square feet of living space. The overall project “will provide affordable rental housing for 20 years or more,” the charity’s website says.
In a statement to CNA, Yolanda Worth, housing director for CCAOKC, said the charity recognizes that “rising housing costs across the state are a challenge, especially for lower-income people.”
“With this pilot project, we hope to shorten development times and keep construction costs relatively low so we can offer tenants affordable alternatives,” Worth said.
“The installation over the past two days is an important milestone for Catholic Charities’ affordable housing efforts,” she added.
Earlier this year, BOXABL posted a tour of its Casitas model on social media. The house “is equipped with all necessary utilities such as water, electricity, internet and sewage.”
On its website, BOXABL explains that its Casitas model is “designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind” and “can be installed much faster than most conventional homes.”
Construction costs for the tiny homes start at $60,000, the company says.
Daniel Payne is a senior editor at the Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at College Fix and Just the News. He lives with his family in Virginia.
