Tarasivka: In a quiet corner of Ukraine, far from the echoes of artillery and the shadows of conflict, hope has taken the shape of neat rows of houses. Hansen Village, a privately built settlement near Kyiv, is offering displaced families more than just shelter it is restoring dignity, stability, and the sense of home that war has torn apart.
Created by 72-year-old American developer Dell Loy Hansen, the village currently houses 2,000 people, mostly uprooted from occupied territories in eastern Ukraine. Modular homes line paved streets where children ride bicycles under the watchful eyes of caretakers. The community features amenities that many displaced people could scarcely imagine amidst the chaos: a swimming pool, basketball court, a health clinic, and a school.
Hansen, a Utah real estate magnate, arrived in Ukraine after personal trials in his own life. Once the owner of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, he sold the franchise amid controversy over alleged racist remarks, a chapter he says gave him “humility” and a renewed sense of purpose. That sense of responsibility, he says, propelled him to a country in crisis.
“This isn’t charity to me; it’s responsibility,” Hansen explained. “If you can build, then build. Don’t just watch.”
Since 2022, he has invested more than $140 million into constructing homes, repairing damaged buildings, supporting prosthetic clinics, and providing cash aid to the elderly. His vision extends beyond Hansen Village he plans a national, scalable not-for-profit housing program and a cemetery to honor displaced residents.
Ukraine’s housing crisis is immense. Nearly a third of citizens have been forced from their homes, including 4.5 million internally displaced persons. In the eastern city of Dnipro, volunteers scramble to convert dilapidated Soviet-era dorms and old buildings into shelters. Many of these facilities, like one housing 149 elderly residents, strain under the weight of overwhelming demand. Funding often comes from a patchwork of donations, foreign aid, and local volunteers.
“I call it begging: knocking on every door, and explaining why each small thing is necessary,” said Veronika Chumak, who oversees one such shelter. “But we keep going. Our mission is to restore people’s sense of life.”
For the elderly, the war’s toll has been especially cruel. Valentina Khusak, 86, was evacuated from the coal-mining town of Myrnohrad after shelling cut off utilities. She lost both her husband and son. “Maybe we’ll return home, maybe not,” she said. “What matters is that places like this exist where the old and lonely are treated with warmth and respect.”
The Ukrainian government struggles to fund repairs and shelters as missile and drone strikes continue to batter infrastructure. By late 2024, 13% of homes had been damaged or destroyed, with reconstruction costs estimated at $524 billion nearly triple Ukraine’s annual economic output.
Hansen’s approach has been pragmatic: cash aid, modular homes, and community planning. Sixteen-year-old Mykyta Bogomol, who fled Kherson with his foster family, says life at Hansen Village has restored a sense of normalcy. “During the occupation, it was terrifying. Soldiers forced kids into Russian schools. Here, I finally feel safe,” he said.
From Salt Lake City, Hansen remains hands-on, coordinating dozens of projects via video calls, tracking war updates, and lobbying U.S. lawmakers. “I’ve built homes all my life, but nothing has meant more to me than this,” he said. “People here don’t need miracles just a roof, safety, and someone who doesn’t give up on them.”
Despite investing millions, Hansen acknowledges that his contributions are only a fraction of what Ukraine needs. Entire towns remain uninhabitable, and private aid, though vital, cannot replace the scale of national reconstruction.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recognized Hansen’s work, and later this year, the developer will receive one of Ukraine’s highest civilian honors. “I don’t need recognition,” Hansen said. “If this award makes the elderly and displaced more visible, then it means something. Otherwise, it’s just a medal.”
In a nation scarred by war, Hansen Village stands as a testament to what determined action can achieve: hope, shelter, and the promise that even in the darkest times, humanity can endure.