Last October, Madison City Council members approved an ordinance change allowing religious institutions and nonprofit organizations to host people in tents or other temporary portable shelters on their premises.
One impetus was the “tiny house” movement, the effort by Occupy Madison Inc. to build a series of small structures on wheels for homeless people. The houses can be parked on city streets, but only if they are moved every 48 hours. Through the ordinance change, churches and other worship communities could provide longer-term sites.
Ten months later, no church is yet hosting a tiny house or homeless encampment, but it’s not for lack of interest or trying, said Brenda Konkel of Occupy Madison Inc.