Eden Village of Wilmington adds respite house, prepares for major expansion

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The tiny home community Eden Village of Wilmington is gearing up for major expansions this summer. 

The community—which first opened in 2023—offers one bedroom, one bath homes to people experiencing chronic homelessness, meaning they’ve been without a home for more than a year. 

The nonprofit recently purchased a nearby home on Kornegay Avenue that will be used as a respite stay facility for homeless people leaving the hospital. 

Executive Director Sean Hayes said the house will give homeless people leaving the hospital a place to recover while freeing up hospital beds. 

“We just want to be able to help out however we can, and we believe that housing is health care. So we’re going to house some individuals that need health care,” he said. 

The nonprofit is also now under a land contract to build an additional 14 tiny homes across the street from where the respite house is. Hayes said a timeline for a groundbreaking is still in the works.