Homeward Bound Village was born out of concern within our community from community members recognizing the immediate and ever-present need for affordable housing in La Porte County. While the causes of homelessness are complex, we do know that one of the largest contributing factors is a lack of affordable housing in a community.
Homelessness can look very different, from hidden homelessness (living in a motel, couch surfing, or living out of one’s vehicle) to the working rent-burdened individual who is working a full-time job but cannot make enough money to afford rent. The recently released 2024 Point-in-Time Count data confirms what many have been witnessing across the U.S.: homelessness increased by a staggering 18% nationally from 2023 to 2024. Behind these numbers are real people –friends, families, and community members – all facing unprecedented challenges in finding and keeping their homes.
If you are unfamiliar with the Point-in-Time Count, it is a national initiative in which volunteers and trained staff seek out unhoused individuals and count them to understand the magnitude of the number of those experiencing homelessness within a community. This is done to secure funding support for local communities, for health-related purposes, and to give a snapshot of homelessness within a community. The count is held in January every year, but holding it in January in the colder parts of the United States can make getting an accurate count challenging.
The current housing crisis is commonly cited as a leading cause of homelessness in the Country. The data shows that rents continue to rise faster than wages. Additionally, the limited affordable housing stock remains stagnant, especially in La Porte County at the moment. However, there is new construction begging, but the pricing for these new dwellings remains at the higher end of the market, leaving many La Porte County residents unable to afford these homes. The prices of these new homes do not qualify as affordable for the average community member. The math simply doesn’t work for many working families anymore in La Porte County.
At Homeward Bound Villages, we see an opportunity to reimagine how we live together and begin to solve the housing crisis. Karwick Village, La Porte County’s first cooperative housing community, is looking to bring a proven and innovative solution to the housing crisis in La Porte County.
Traditional housing developments build structures. Cooperative housing builds communities. At Karwick Village, residents won’t just be neighbors – they’ll be members of a community who collectively make decisions about their living environment. This model creates something precious: a built-in support network that strengthens everyone involved.
The 18% rise in homelessness isn’t just a statistic – it’s a wake-up call. Traditional approaches to housing aren’t keeping pace with the crisis. We need innovation, and we need it now.
Cooperative housing isn’t new – it has a proven track record in communities across the country. By combining affordable housing with built-in support systems, we create communities that are more resistant to the economic pressures driving homelessness.
As we prepare to break ground at Karwick Village in 2025, we’re not just building housing – we’re building hope. We’re showing that when communities come together, we can create solutions that address not just the symptoms of homelessness but some of its root causes: isolation, lack of support networks, and the vulnerability that comes from treating housing solely as a commodity rather than a human right.
We invite you to join us on this journey. Whether you’re a potential resident, a community supporter, or someone who believes in the power of cooperative solutions, there’s a place for you in this story.