Solar project celebration at veterans village

All are welcome when New Horizon Communities and South Sound Solar hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the Shelton Veterans Village solar project from 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 30 at 2471 N. 13th St. in Shelton.

Construction of the solar array on Shelton Veterans Village’s 30 tiny homes and community center was completed in September. A reception will follow the ribbon cutting.

The Shelton Veterans Village has 156 solar panels, 102 of them on the tiny houses and 54 on the community center. South Sound Solar designed and installed the 61.5kW Solar System.

“We are now solar at all three of our tiny home villages,” New Horizon Communities Associate Director Jaycie Osterberg-Brown said in a news release. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to invest in our community and lower our carbon footprint. We couldn’t have done it with our incredible partners who believe in our programs and helped make this happen.”

According to the news release, the installation will reduce the village’s energy bill, saving more than $165,000 over the next 30 years. Those savings make more resources available for mental health programs and services,

Project funding come from the low-income community solar program at Washington State University Energy Extension.

New Horizon Communities is a nonprofit that provides permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. It creates and manages tiny home villages that foster community, encourage personal growth and promote access to care and services. New Horizon Communities owns and operates Quixote Village in Olympia, which opened in 2023; the Orting Veterans Village, which opened in 2021; and Shelton Veterans Village, which opened in 2023.