In the last few months, the Jack Kerouac House of St. Petersburg Inc., the nonprofit behind the Kerouac residence, has started booking daytime tours, evening stays and special events to raise funds for the group’s preservation mission. But according to Ken Burchenal, who joined forces with the nonprofit when he and his wife bought the Florida home in 2020, being a Kerouac fan is not a requirement. “We don’t want this to be just an homage to Jack Kerouac,” he said. We’re really interested in not only all of the Beats, but American counterculture.”
On Thursday, 100 tiny homes dubbed "Hope Cottages" were unveiled by Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg, Inc., the city of Tampa and other partners.