Long-term homelessness does more than leave people without a roof—it can make them forget who they are. Skills once taken for granted, dreams nurtured in childhood, even the simple joy of making a meal for someone—they all fade when every day is a struggle for survival.

At Sacred Settlement Mosaic in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that story began to change. Small acts of kindness between neighbors restored something essential: a sense of humanity, a recognition that every person has something to offer.

“I forgot all of this purpose within me because I haven't even had a chance to utilize it,” a homeless advocate shared. “And now I have a neighbor who needs help shoveling their deck. Now I have a neighbor who I can make a meal for. Now I have a neighbor who I haven't seen for a few days, and I know that I can check on that neighbor and I can see that they're okay. Bringing back that purpose—that humanity—is what homeless solutions need to look like. It's not about a shelter.”

This philosophy guided Sacred Settlement Mosaic from its earliest days. The church community embraced the model as an extension of their mission to love and care for their neighbors. They believed that putting tiny homes on church land wasn’t only practical—it was an expression of faith, a concrete way to serve their calling to offer hospitality and hope.

But the path was far from simple. City officials didn’t recognize tiny homes on wheels as a legitimate form of housing under existing building and zoning codes. Changing the building code seemed nearly impossible. The team faced a daunting challenge: how could a groundbreaking, high-quality housing solution gain official recognition?

Through collaboration, creativity, and persistence, they found a solution: an interim permit designating the settlement as a campground, with the potential for extension. While it wasn’t permanent, it was a start—a way to operate legally, safely, and to show what was possible.

Meanwhile, Sacred Settlement Mosaic’s leadership worked on the bigger picture: creating a legal pathway for this innovative form of housing. Their efforts included engaging with faith communities across the state, educating legislators about the human dignity at stake, and advocating for laws that recognized tiny homes as a new category of housing.

“This model just really spoke to a number of those: human dignity, basic justice, care for each individual human being,” one faith leader explained. “And people really reacted to the idea of faith communities being able to do something concrete.”

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The work paid off. In 2023, after years of advocacy, collaboration, and persistent engagement with city officials and lawmakers, Minnesota recognized sacred communities as a legitimate form of housing. The legislation provided clarity for churches, faith communities, and city officials to work together to bring sacred settlements onto church land. The governor signed the bill, making it effective January 1, 2024.

“I remember being at Sacred Settlement Mosaic, and I was sitting outside on a tiny home porch of one of the neighbors there, and I received a text giving me an update of the status of the legislation,” one advocate reflected. “And I knew that our homes were safe, that our neighbors were safe.”

Sacred Settlement Mosaic is more than housing—it’s a community. A place where people rediscover their skills, their humor, their ability to give and receive care. It’s a model that shows how churches can harness their resources, time, and hearts to create solutions that are both compassionate and practical.

Through tiny homes, legislative advocacy, and community support, Sacred Settlement Mosaic has created a new category of housing, a model for the future, and a beacon of hope for those who have been forgotten for too long.

“This idea of full community changes everybody who participates in it,” a leader said. “It’s not just a group of people helping one subset of people who desperately need help. But it's community. And what better and more natural place to start than a faith community who has the resources, who has willing people,...and it's an invitation for them to join in the work of loving your neighbor in a way that no other community truly can.”

In the words of one neighbor, the settlement restores not only shelter, but human dignity, purpose, and home. Sacred Settlement Mosaic is a reminder that when faith, innovation, and community come together, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome.

Want to learn more? Explore our Full Community model to see how neighbors and churches work together to cultivate home. Or, if you’re curious about this groundbreaking land-use law that made Sacred Settlements possible, check out more details on our website.