HUNTINGTON, WV (WOWK) — A young entrepreneur is laying the foundation for a small but mighty new project called “Wildflower Homes” that aims to combat housing barriers plaguing students and recent graduates.

The initiative was started by Katelyn Spears, a 22-year-old who graduated from Marshall University in 2022.

“My senior year at Marshall, we had to come up with a business plan for the West Virginia Innovative Business Model Competition. So, I put the plan together in class, and then I competed in the competition with my idea, and I won the campus qualifier.”

That project eventually grew into a business, with the hope to meet a bigger community need: “housing insecurity.”

“You know I was living with five roommates at the time at Marshall. So, I knew all of us were about to move out. We were all going to be looking for housing, and I knew I didn’t want five roommates again,” Spears said. “I was looking at all the options in town and you know apartments are really the only option for a young adult, and I wanted my own space but buying a house is just out of the picture for someone just starting out in life.”

That’s where “tiny homes” come into the picture.

Inspired by Spears’ personal struggles to find affordable housing as a young adult, “Wildflower Homes” came to fruition earlier this year after breaking ground on the first two “tiny homes” on Seventh Avenue in Huntington.

“Having your own house but the affordability of renting your own space, you don’t have to share the washer and dryer. You also have a washer and dryer, so you don’t have to worry about buying one or if your apartment has the hookup or not,” Spears said. “So just trying to think of all the amenities that I was looking for when I was moving out and trying to incorporate that all in one place.”

According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice , housing insecurity affects about 48% of college students.

Dr. Marcie Simms, the vice president of intercultural and student affairs at Marshall University, said there are a lot of hurdles that students and recent graduates have to overcome in the housing process.

“They have to have someone co-sign for them, or they have to have a background check, or they have to have established credit, first month’s rent,” Simms said. “We know a lot of our students just don’t have that so that automatically creates barriers for them.”

Simms said a lot of times students also don’t realize how expensive housing and the added utilities can be.

“Especially for students who are traditional age, who don’t have that family support, they graduate, they have a college degree, they go get their first job and then realize I’m not going to be able to afford utilities, my loans, or even rent,” Simms said. “So, they often find themselves having roommates or maybe living in places that they would normally not pick in order to survive.”

Whether you’re starting a new semester or maybe a new job, Spears said making the price all-inclusive helps lighten the load a bit. That’s why she said the cost of the “tiny homes” is $900 per month. That includes utilities, internet, a security system as well as some furniture. She’s currently accepting applications. You can apply here .

“You don’t have to worry about anything else,” She said. “You just move in, pay your rent every month and you can just worry about everything else in life.”

Marshall University plans to conduct a study on housing insecurity later this year. Simms said students will be surveyed; so, the school can get a better idea of how they can meet students’ needs.

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A study was conducted last year on food insecurity. As a result, Simms said their food pantry was expanded this year. Students, staff and community members are able to grab what they need on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. More information can be found here .

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