Tiny homes from one veteran to others

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) - As busy as Mike Wolff, owner of Wolff Contracting, is with rebuilding Wine Country, he's putting a lot of time, energy and personal money into 14, 250 square-foot tiny homes, for veterans to use at little or no cost, for however long they need it.

"I understand how a lot of these veterans ended up where they are," said Wolff.

Wolff, a combat veteran himself, with 14 years in the Marine Corps, knows it only too well, saying as he fought off tears, "When I first  came home from Iraq, I had some; I had some significant PTSD. Sorry, give me a moment. Once a Marine, always a Marine. it's in my heart and I feel for the veterans. They're my brothers."

Co-sponsor, Community Housing Sonoma County, a developer of low-income housing, says that on any given day, there are some 200 homeless veterans in the county who have to sleep on a friend's couch, in a car, under a bridge or on a street.

"This project wouldn't happen without Michael Wolff. So, he's a full-fledged partner and we couldn't do it without him," said Community Housing Sonoma County CEO Paula Cook.

Kelly-Moore Paints and volunteer painting contractors, put the finishing touches on the tiny home village, which will be available to the veterans before new Years Day.

"I just thought, 'We need to do something.' So, I approached Kelly-Moore corporate and they said, 'Hey, We're in,'" said Kelly-Moore Paint representative Mike Dorado.

For one contractor, it's a labor of love and duty.

"It's brotherhood thing. You know, I'm an Army veteran and I'm just happy to give back," said John Lago of Allied Painting.

So many people are helping Wolff and Community Housing Sonoma County, there could be more villages.

"It's only 14, but we're knocking that number down," said Community Housing Sonoma County's Paula Cook.

Wolff puts it this way: "I feel so good about being able to be a part of it and I feel so good about seeing our community come together and so many people stepping up to help," This could be a model for the nation, rising from the ashes of a firestorm.