Step inside one of the tiny homes at Rumshock Veterans Village and you’ll find everything a veteran needs to start over: a bedroom, bathroom, living area and kitchen packed into roughly 420 square feet.

It’s a small space with a big mission.

The Rumshock Veterans Village in Port Jervis is designed to help veterans experiencing homelessness transition back into stable housing and independence. News 12 got a first look inside the project, which supporters say is the first veterans tiny-home community of its kind in Orange County.

“We are here to give back. Help them reintegrate into society,” said Tyler Whetsel, president of the Rumshock Veterans Foundation.

The project has been years in the making.

Four homes have already been completed on the 1.5-acre property on East Main Street in Port Jervis, with six more currently under construction. When finished, the village will include 10 tiny homes, along with a community center, job training space and other support services.

“This is just a start,” Whetsel said. “There’s extreme need everywhere.”

Tiny-home communities have gained attention nationwide as communities search for new ways to address housing affordability and homelessness. Similar veteran-focused villages have been built in states, including Colorado, Missouri and Wisconsin, pairing housing with support services designed to help veterans regain stability.

Whetsel hopes Rumshock Village can become a model for Orange County.

“Eventually, we can do a 50-home tiny home village and just grow and grow,” he said.

The village was founded by Whetsel’s father, William Whetsel, an Air Force veteran who began pursuing the idea in 2019 after learning about the challenges many veterans face finding stable housing.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, thousands of veterans experience homelessness across the country on any given night.

Whetsel says his father made it his mission to help change that.

“He just took it upon himself, made it his life’s mission to make a difference,” Whetsel said.

Over the years, William Whetsel worked to identify property, build partnerships and secure funding for the project. The village received $400,000 in New York state funding through former State Sen. Jen Metzger and another $1 million in federal funding secured by Congressman Pat Ryan.

But William Whetsel died three months ago before seeing the first veterans move into the homes.

His son has since taken over leadership of the foundation and is continuing the work his father started.

“We are continuing on his mission. His dream has now turned into my dreams,” Whetsel said.

The village is designed to provide more than just housing.

Veterans living there will have access to transportation assistance and support services. Future plans also include hydroponic farming programs and additional workforce development opportunities.

The foundation has partnered with Orange County’s PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Program to help identify veterans who could benefit from the housing.

The organization said rent and utilities will be covered through assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, allowing veterans to live in the homes without the financial burden often associated with traditional housing.

Unlike many transitional housing programs, there is no deadline for residents to move out. Whetsel says veterans can stay for as little or as long as they need while they rebuild their lives.

The first veterans could begin moving into the homes as early as November.

“They are willing to sacrifice and put their life on the line for our country,” Whetsel said. “I think it’s the minimum we can do for them.”

Veterans interested in learning more about Rumshock Veterans Village or applying for housing can visit RumshockVF.org for more information.