Volunteers help raise pallet homes at the new HOPE Village on Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Longview.
Longview and the Salvation Army will hold a ribbon cutting on Dec. 13 to celebrate the opening of the city’s new pallet home shelters.
The HOPE Village shelters are being managed by the Salvation Army chapter in Longview. The nonprofit was contracted by the city to manage the 50 pallet homes, which will replace the unhosted current encampment. The Salvation Army’s goal is to work with the new group of residents to improve themselves and find a more stable long-term housing option.
The ribbon-cutting will take place at 10 a.m. on Dec. 13 in a tent that will be placed on Alabama Street in front of the pallet home community. The event will be invitation only, which the Salvation Army said was due to the limited space.
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The event will include speakers from Longview city staff and City Council, higher regional levels of the Salvation Army, a resident of the HOPE House program in Longview and potentially some state-level Washington officials. After the event, tours will be given of the pallet homes and property.
Homes arrive on Nov. 15 on pallets, which can be constructed in a couple hours. Toilets and showers are also on the property so that healthy hygiene is maintainable for those living in HOPE Village.
Salvation Army Major Phil Smith said that people will begin moving into the pallet homes a few days after the ribbon cutting. Smith said they had originally hoped to get people in the shelters earlier in December but the site infrastructure is still being finished.
People interested in attending the event can register by emailing Smith at philip.smith@usw.salvationarmy.org.
Brennen Kauffman
Reporter
