Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC) opened the doors to new possibilities for housing on Six Nations.

On August 16, OSNGRDC introduced the Tiny Homes Pilot Project with an open house held at the Oneida Business Park. It provided an opportunity for the community to see an on-site tiny home first hand. The community was shown two model homes: a 480 square foot, 1-bedroom model; and a 960 square foot, 3-bedroom model. The tiny homes are designed to be purchased and placed on the buyer’s land.

SNGRDC made a statement in its media release, "The Tiny Homes Pilot Project was introduced to provide an innovative solution to problems we face within the community. Through this project, SNGRDC will offer affordable, safe, secure, and accessible housing to the Six Nations community."

Community members were allowed to walk in and enter the partially developed homes to get a feel and size of the housing unit. Refreshments were served as community members exchanged ideas and concerns about the process and the sustainability of tiny homes within the community.

A common question asked focused on wait time and process because lack-of housing has been an ongoing issue within the community.

Chief Mark Hill responded, "We’ve put out multiple surveys from the Elected Council to say what are the top priorities that we want to see changed quick?" He added that the response to the surveys indicated that  "we know we’re in a shortage and a housing crisis, and so we have to start getting creative in the solutions. And we have to to start getting people into homes, and into homes faster".

Six Nations Elected Band Councils Chief Mark Hill also spoke about the need to service the tiny home lots saying, “As you know with a home, you need water, you need hydro, you need all the infrastructure involved. So that’s something that council is looking to off set some of those costs."

Citing housing availability as a major issue, Hill said that council would "also looking into getting creative with service lots that would be for sale for members who are ready to have home ownership - but also we know that there Is emergency housing that has always been an issue. There have been many times and scenarios where community members have been in need, whether it be a loss of a home or a whatever that may be ... so we need to come up with solutions to where we put members when there is an emergency and we think this is apart of that solution as well".