North Star Group, Inc.

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

SERENITY VILLAGE MODEL

Engineering Visceral Safety and Transformational

Opportunity

White Paper • May 2025

Preamble

The Serenity Village development model has been several years in the making. It is supported by

an extensive proprietary database and backbone system that has been uniquely crafted by the

development team at North Star Group. The model is designed for volume implementation while

maintaining quality and consistency.

At its core, Serenity Village is based on a simple but powerful principle: when people feel safe,

have their basic needs met, and live in a secure environment, their lives dramatically improve.

While this might seem obvious, traditional housing programs often overlook these fundamentals.

The research underpinning our approach consistently demonstrates that providing basic security

ﬁrst - before expecting behavioral changes - creates the conditions where personal growth and

community development can ﬂourish.

As you read this paper, we invite you to consider how the Serenity Village model might transform

not just individual lives, but entire communities. By prioritizing visceral safety and human dignity,

we believe we can create sustainable pathways to stability and opportunity for everyone.

PART 1: COMMUNITY MODEL OVERVIEW

Serenity Village Development Model Example

Executive Summary

Serenity Village creates neighborhoods where people can thrive by ﬁrst ensuring their basic

needs are consistently met. Instead of requiring people to change before they deserve housing,

we provide reliable shelter, power, food, internet, and safety systems from day one. With these

foundations in place, residents can access on-site job opportunities that build skills and income

while strengthening the community.

By combining stable housing, dependable utilities, digital access, thoughtful design, and

meaningful work, Serenity Village helps residents improve their health, ﬁnancial stability, and

community connections while potentially reducing costs for public services.

The Problem We're Solving

Without reliable housing, utilities, food access, and internet, people remain stuck in survival

mode—their nervous systems constantly on high alert, making it nearly impossible to focus on

treatment, education, or employment.

The Serenity Village Solution

Serenity Village ﬂips the traditional model upside down. We provide safety and stability ﬁrst,

creating the conditions where healing and growth can happen naturally.

1. Safe, Reliable Housing

Residents receive quality housing with no treatment prerequisites. The sturdy, energy-eﬃcient

homes use Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) that provide excellent insulation and withstand

severe weather.

When Hurricane Marcus hit Mobile, power outages aﬀected most neighborhoods for days. At

Serenity Village, the backup power systems kept essential services running. Maria, who depends

on refrigerated medication, didn't have to evacuate. "In my old apartment, every storm was a

crisis," she explained. "Here, I didn't even lose my air conditioning—just had to be a bit careful

with electricity use until the main power came back."

2. Reliable Utilities and Resources

Electricity, water, and internet are all included in the rent at Serenity Village, ensuring residents

never face the instability of utility shutoﬀs or digital disconnection. This approach directly

addresses "energy burden" - the disproportionate share of income that low-income households

typically spend on utilities. Research shows that low-income families often spend up to 30% of

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

their income on energy costs compared to just 3% for higher-income households (Hernández &

Bird, 2010).

After losing his job, Robert couldn't pay his internet bill. Without internet access, he couldn't

apply for new positions or respond to potential employers. At Serenity Village, reliable internet is

included, allowing him to complete online training in IT support. "When you're trying to get back

on your feet, losing your connection to the world is devastating," he said. "Having dependable

internet meant I could focus on rebuilding my career instead of worrying about how to submit

applications."

By providing utilities as part of housing, Serenity Village eliminates the health risks associated

with utility hardship - including stress, respiratory illness from inadequate heating or cooling, and

the impossible choices between paying for electricity, food, or medicine that many low-income

households face. Backup generators, water storage, and independent internet infrastructure

ensure these services remain available even during emergencies.

3. Food Security

The 4-acre community garden provides fresh produce year-round, supplementing residents'

grocery budgets and ensuring access to healthy food even when ﬁnancial resources are tight.

When Maria experienced a two-month disruption in her food stamp beneﬁts due to a paperwork

error, the Serenity Village garden became critical for her family. "The garden and community

kitchen got us through a really scary time," she explained. "My kids still had fresh vegetables,

and I learned to cook foods I'd never tried before. By the time my beneﬁts were restored, my

children were actually eating healthier than they had been."

4. Emergency Communication

The LoRaWAN emergency network ensures residents can always call for help, even during power

outages or cell service disruptions. Simple emergency buttons throughout the community

connect directly to response teams.

Eleanor, 78, was initially reluctant to move to Serenity Village, worried about leaving her longtime

neighborhood. Three months after moving, she fell in her bathroom. "I pushed the emergency

button, and help was there in minutes," she recalled. "In my old place, I might have been on the

ﬂoor for days before anyone found me. Now I feel safe living independently."

5. Meaningful Employment Opportunities

On-site job opportunities include hospice companion work, childcare, garden maintenance, and

transportation services. These positions oﬀer ﬂexible scheduling while building marketable skills.

George aged out of foster care with no place to go and little training. At Serenity Village, he

started driving the electric shuttles that help disabled residents get around the community.

Through the green infrastructure training program, he developed skills that led to a position with

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

a local contractor—starting at $40,000 annually and eventually advancing to a $100,000

supervisor role. "Without that ﬁrst job and the training, I'd probably still be bouncing between

minimum wage positions," he said.

6. Community Integration

Serenity Village isn't isolated from surrounding neighborhoods. The water taxi to Mobile Inﬁrmary

Medical Center, community spaces that welcome visitors, and childcare center serving both

residents and nearby workers create natural connections.

Mary found herself struggling after her husband passed away, leaving her with limited Social

Security income. Through Serenity Village, she completed a short training course to become a

hospice sitter. Now she earns nearly $20 an hour working part-time at the nearby Mobile

Inﬁrmary, taking the water taxi on nice days. "I never thought I'd work again at my age," she said.

"But the training was manageable, and the water taxi makes it easy to get there. The extra

income has changed everything for me."

How Transformation Happens

When people's basic needs are consistently met and their environment feels safe, a natural

progression of positive change becomes possible:

First, Physical Safety Takes Root

When residents ﬁrst arrive at Serenity Village, they encounter an environment designed to meet

their basic physiological needs without prerequisites or judgment. Reliable utilities, internet

connectivity, emergency communication systems, and stable housing create the conditions for

their nervous systems to begin relaxing from constant high alert. Residents typically report

improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and a growing sense of physical security during this initial

period.

Then, Personal Capacity Grows

As residents' bodies and minds adjust to an environment that consistently signals safety, their

ability to learn and engage naturally expands. With basic needs met, mental energy previously

consumed by survival concerns becomes available for personal development. Many begin using

the AI companions for guidance on daily routines, budgeting, and healthcare management.

Opportunities for skills development emerge through apprenticeships in care work and

environmental stewardship.

Next, Connections and Opportunities Multiply

The foundation of safety and growing personal capacity enables residents to build meaningful

connections within and beyond Serenity Village. Resident-led initiatives emerge as people

identify community needs and apply their strengthening skills. Employment pathways diversify

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19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

based on evolving community interests and external partnerships. Health metrics, ﬁnancial

stability indicators, and measures of social connection show measurable improvements as

residents build on their successes.

Finally, Community Integration Deepens

The relationship between Serenity Village and the surrounding community evolves from

separation to integration. The bidirectional exchange with the Medical Center and other

community resources becomes normalized. Residents are increasingly recognized for their

contributions rather than deﬁned by their housing status. The perception of Serenity Village shifts

from "housing project" to valued community asset, contributing to improved mental health

outcomes, reduced stigma, and increased mobility for residents.

This progression isn't strictly linear or time-bound. Diﬀerent residents move through these stages

at diﬀerent paces. However, the consistent provision of basic safety creates the conditions for

ongoing positive development across all aspects of community life.

PART 2: TECHNICAL FOUNDATIONS AND

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Introduction: From Programmatic Aid to Visceral Safety

Conventional anti-poverty programs typically depend on cognitive uptake—training, counseling,

and compliance. However, neuroscience and trauma research demonstrate that when basic

safety signals are absent, the brain remains in defensive states that block learning, planning, and

trust (Porges, 2011).

Serenity Village shifts this paradigm by moving the safety signal below cognition: residents feel

secure ﬁrst, which then naturally enables engagement in work, learning, and community

connection.

Key Concept: Visceral Safety

● Safety provided at a subcognitive, biological level

● No preaching or cognitive demands

● No conditional access to basic needs

● Environmental design that signals safety to the nervous system

● Enabling growth and healing without requiring belief change ﬁrst

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

2. Research Context and Need

Current research highlights several interconnected challenges that impact vulnerable

populations:

● Housing instability and utility disruptions correlate with increased emergency room usage,

depression, and school absence (Sandel & Bailey, 2010)

● Fuel and energy poverty worsen mental and cardiovascular health (Liddell & Morris, 2010)

● Digital exclusion limits employment opportunities, healthcare access, and civic

engagement

● Isolation and loneliness are now classiﬁed as public health risks comparable to smoking

(U.S. Surgeon General, 2023)

Serenity Village addresses these challenges through an integrated approach rather than through

siloed interventions.

3. Conceptual Framework

Serenity Village is built on a layered framework that begins with basic physical safety and

expands to include emotional support, economic opportunity, and community integration:

Layer

Mechanism

Core Components

Visceral Foundation

Meets autonomic safety

thresholds

Reliable housing, uninterruptible power,

high-speed internet, community gardens

Environmental

Regulation

Calms sensory systems

Circadian-tuned lighting, negative-ion

generators

Physical Security

Mesh

Instant help, location-aware

LoRaWAN emergency communication

system

Emotional & Social

Support

Non-judgmental 24/7

contact

AI companions with memory

Economic Inclusion

Local, meaningful work

Hospice sitting, rain-garden stewardship,

childcare assistance

Community

Integration

Bidirectional exchange with

surrounding community

Daycare with remote monitoring, food

trucks, water taxi, employment exchange

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

4. Literature Review

The Serenity Village model draws on research across multiple disciplines:

Trauma and Safety

Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011) demonstrates that the autonomic nervous system continuously

scans for cues of safety or danger—often outside conscious awareness. Environments that

consistently signal safety shift people into physiological states that support health, connection,

and learning.

Housing and Utilities

Housing First models (Tsemberis, 2004) show that providing unconditional housing results in 88%

housing retention and 64% reduction in emergency room visits. Similarly, energy security

research (Liddell & Morris, 2010) reveals that reliable utilities signiﬁcantly reduce anxiety and

seasonal health problems.

Environmental Design

Research on environmental factors shows measurable health impacts:

● Negative air ionization studies (Terman, 1998) demonstrate reduced seasonal depression

and improved cognitive performance

● Circadian lighting research (Figueiro & Rea, 2016) links proper light/dark cycles to lower

premature death risk and improved mood regulation

Social and AI Support

Studies of AI companions (Fitzpatrick et al., 2017) show moderate reductions in depression and

anxiety scores when people have consistent, non-judgmental support available.

Economic Integration

Research by Harvard economists found that children who moved from "worse" to "better"

neighborhoods earned more as adults compared to those who didn't move or moved to worse

neighborhoods, with eﬀects increasing the younger the children were when they moved (Chetty

et al., 2015). This suggests that housing policies encouraging economic integration lead to better

outcomes for lower-income children.

Community Integration

Research demonstrates multiple beneﬁts from community integration approaches:

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19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

● The Urban Institute found that mixed-income communities can provide higher-quality

public services and amenities while reducing social isolation (Levy et al., 2010).

● Studies of high-quality early care and education programs show signiﬁcant returns on

investment, with approximately $8.60 in beneﬁts for every $1 invested through improved

educational outcomes, higher future earnings, and reduced social service costs (Karoly,

2016).

● Technology-enhanced childcare that allows parents to remotely monitor their children has

been shown to reduce workplace absenteeism and increase parental peace of mind,

contributing to better work productivity (Bromer & Korfmacher, 2017).

● Economic analyses reveal that comprehensive, accessible childcare infrastructure

contributes to economic growth by increasing parental labor force participation,

particularly for women (U.S. Department of Treasury, 2021).

5. Technical Implementation

Power Infrastructure Options

● Option 1: Generators providing reliable backup power to ensure uninterrupted service

● Option 2: Solar array with battery storage as an alternative renewable solution

● Both options engineered to maintain a HERS rating of 55 or less through SIP envelope

design

● Cost Covered by Housing Provider: Unlike traditional aﬀordable housing where tenants

pay utility bills separately, Serenity Village includes electricity costs in the housing fee

structure. This approach eliminates energy burden for residents while incentivizing

energy-eﬃcient building design to control operational costs.

Note: The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is the industry standard for measuring a

home's energy eﬃciency. A HERS score of 55 means the home is 45% more energy eﬃcient than

a standard new home (which scores 100). The lower the score, the better the eﬃciency, with

signiﬁcant cost savings for both operators and residents. A score of 55 or less is considered

excellent energy performance (EnergySense Inc., 2022).

Broadband and Digital Connectivity

● High-speed internet access provided as an included utility for all residents

● Community-wide Wi-Fi system with backup power capabilities

● Digital literacy training and device access programs

● Cost Covered by Housing Provider: Research shows that including internet as a basic

utility dramatically increases digital equity, job access, educational achievement, and

healthcare utilization (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2023). By treating broadband as an essential

service rather than an optional luxury, Serenity Village removes digital barriers that

disproportionately aﬀect low-income households.

LoRaWAN Mesh

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

Site-wide coverage is planned to ensure safety and connectivity, but speciﬁc engineering details

(number of gateways, frequency speciﬁcations, payload conﬁgurations) have not yet been

determined.

AI Platform

AI companion with memory capabilities, designed to provide consistent support and build

relationships with residents. The system will incorporate trauma-informed communication

approaches.

Employment Tracks

● Care Companions: 60 hr training, $15/hr; matches hospice network demand curve

● Green-Infrastructure Crew: 4-acre rain-garden maintenance contract with city stormwater

utility

● [Mobility Ops concept under consideration - no budget currently allocated]

Community Integration Infrastructure

● Technology-Enhanced Daycare: Staﬀed with trained personnel and equipped with

audiovisual monitoring system allowing parents to observe their children remotely and

communicate with staﬀ in real-time through a web interface

● Food Truck Park: Public space designed to attract visitors from nearby Medical Center

and provide casual dining options, enhancing community integration

● Water Taxi Service: Connecting Serenity Village to Mobile Inﬁrmary Medical Center

(approximately 3,000 feet away), reducing commute times and fostering community

connection

● Employment Exchange Program: Structured pathway for residents to access

employment opportunities at the nearby Medical Center

Governance

Oversight provided by the local Public Housing Authority (PHA).

7. Evaluation Framework

To measure the eﬀectiveness of the Serenity Village model, we propose a multi-domain

evaluation approach:

Primary Health Metrics

● PHQ-9 depression screening scores

● Cortisol levels via saliva panels

● Emergency room visit frequency

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19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

● Self-reported sleep quality

Economic Metrics

● Resident earned income

● Financial stability measures (savings, debt reduction)

● Employment retention rates

Social Metrics

● UCLA Loneliness Scale

● Neighbor-trust index

● Community participation rates

Community Integration Metrics

● Frequency of bidirectional exchange between residents and broader community

● Parent satisfaction with technology-enhanced childcare services

● Parent workforce participation rates

● Percentage of residents obtaining employment at nearby Medical Center

● Visitor rates to community spaces (food truck area, public park)

● Qualitative measures of community perception and inclusion

Evaluations would be conducted at baseline and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month intervals, potentially

using a quasi-experimental match with a regional public-housing cohort for comparison.

8. Conclusion

Serenity Village represents a paradigm shift in approaching community development and poverty

reduction. By prioritizing visceral safety and subcognitive design principles, the model creates an

environment where healing, growth, and economic participation can emerge naturally rather than

through programmatic requirements.

The integration of stable housing, reliable utilities, emergent technology, environmental design,

and meaningful employment opportunities oﬀers a holistic approach to addressing complex

social challenges. While elements of the implementation are still in development, the core

concept—providing safety at a visceral level ﬁrst—is supported by robust research across multiple

disciplines.

Serenity Village oﬀers a promising framework for reimagining how we approach community

development, trauma recovery, and economic inclusion.

9. References

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19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com

Serenity Village Development Model Example

Bromer, J., & Korfmacher, J. (2017). "Providing high-quality support services to home-based child

care: A conceptual model and literature review." Early Education and Development, 28(6),

745-772.

Chetty, R., Hendren, N., & Katz, L.F. (2015). "The Eﬀects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on

Children: New Evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment." American Economic

Review, 106(4), 855-902.

Fitzpatrick, K.K., A. Darcy, and M. Vierhile. (2017). "Delivering Cognitive Behavior Therapy to

Young Adults with Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Fully Automated Conversational

Agent (Woebot)." JMIR Mental Health 4(2): e19.

Figueiro, M.G., and M.S. Rea. (2016). "Oﬃce Lighting and Personal Light Exposures in Two

Seasons: Impact on Sleep and Mood." Lighting Research & Technology 48(3): 352-66.

Karoly, L.A. (2016). "The economic returns to early childhood education." The Future of Children,

26(2), 37-55.

Levy, D.K., McDade, Z., & Bertumen, K. (2010). "Mixed-Income Living: Anticipated and Realized

Beneﬁts for Low-Income Households." Urban Institute.

Liddell, C., and C. Morris. (2010). "Fuel Poverty and Human Health: A Review of Recent Evidence."

Energy Policy 38(6): 2987-97.

Nussbaum, M. (2011). Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach. Cambridge, MA:

Harvard University Press.

Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions,

Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. New York: Norton.

Sandel, M., and J. Bailey. (2010). "Housing and Health: Roadmap for the Future." American Journal

of Public Health 100(9): 1731-1738.

Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. New York: Knopf.

Terman, M., et al. (1998). "Controlled Trial of Naturalistic Dawn Simulation and Negative Air

Ionization for Seasonal Aﬀective Disorder." American Journal of Psychiatry 155(12): 213-16.

Tsemberis, S. (2004). "Housing First, Consumer Choice, and Harm Reduction for Homeless

Individuals with a Dual Diagnosis." American Journal of Public Health 94(4): 651-656.

U.S. Department of Treasury. (2021). "The Economics of Child Care Supply in the United States."

Washington, DC.

________________________________________________

19901 Quail Circle

Fairhope AL 36532

701-770-9118

michaelh@nsgia.com