Trinity Habitat for Humanity aims to promote affordable housing by building a senior living community with tiny homes in the Wedgwood Square neighborhood in southwest Fort Worth.
The nonprofit plans to build 39 small homes on 3.5 acres at 5250 Wonder Drive and 5240 Wooten Drive. The project will include 31 one-bedroom homes with 450 square feet of living space and eight two-bedroom homes with 800 square feet of living space. Trinity Habitat for Humanity plans to sell the homes only to people age 62 and older who meet certain income limits.
According to Tarrant Appraisal District records, Trinity Habitat for Humanity has owned both properties since October.
Other elements of the project include 80 parking spaces, pavilions, ponds and safe walking paths.
The Wedgwood Senior Cottages project was first introduced at a planning commission meeting on August 14. Christine Panagopoulos, chief operating officer of Trinity Habitat for Humanity, said the target audience is seniors who want to move to smaller, more affordable housing.
“We hope this is the first of many for us. We believe this is a need throughout the city of Fort Worth and our service area,” Panagopoulos said.
In Fort Worth, more than 11,000 people over the age of 65 are living in poverty, according to the 2022 census. In 2010, that number was around 5,600.
In Fort Worth, low-income seniors are a growing demographic in need of support, Panagopoulos said. Current prices in the housing market mean seniors have less affordable housing.
The requested zoning would convert the two properties from mixed use to medium density multifamily use, allowing 24 homes per acre.
Zoning officials recognized the benefits of public housing for the senior community, but were also concerned about the potentially dense neighborhood and the constraints associated with such a project.
The commission approved the project by a vote of 9 to 1. Zoning Commissioner Rodney Mayo voted against it.
“The commercial areas there need to be revitalized significantly. I’m not sure that would be possible, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said construction manager Wes Hoblit, who represents the district where the cottages are planned and lives in an adjacent neighborhood.
Trinity Habitat for Humanity plans to sell the homes rather than rent them. Although the organization hopes the seniors will buy homes for life, Steve Smith, director of land development and real estate at Trinity Habitat for Humanity, said title restrictions will be placed to ensure homeowners can only sell to people who meet age and income restrictions.
The nonprofit organization has experimented with tiny houses before, building its first home in 2018. The property included a 26-square-meter, one-bedroom home on a parking lot.
The organization has been building and repairing homes in Tarrant County since 1989.
Volunteers will help build the tiny homes, a typical feature of Habitat for Humanity projects. Panagopoulos hopes to begin developing the site and installing utilities next year and begin construction in 2026, but stressed that there is currently no timeline for the project.
Ismael M. Belkoura is a reporter for the Fort Worth Report. You can reach him at [email protected].
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