Building a Conestoga hut June 1, 2013

On Saturday, June 1, Community Supported Shelters assembled the first Conestoga hut for homeless people located in a private residence backyard.
Previously they've placed nine huts in church parking lots around Eugene, with more on the way. Springfield has a goal to place "30 huts before the first snow falls" after passing an ordinance to allow the Huts in the SVDP's Car Camping program.
For private residences, backyard huts, campers or similar accommodations are legal in Eugene as long as the host provides bathroom facilities and trash disposal. This would be one way to find more sites for the huts. Finding sites has been the main limitation on the program.
CSS Program Director Erik de Buhr said that so far they've been working on a shoestring budget to make the program possible, a situation which will have to change soon. With some planned upgrades to the design, he estimates the cost of materials and labor to build a hut at around $1800. This cost can be lowered through business and private donations of materials, volunteer contributions, and possibly subsidizing grants.
They will be having an Fundraising Sale on July 19-20 and will be accepting donations for the sale until then.
The whole month of September will be a fundraising drive to build up an inventory of huts to be placed in the local community. To help boost the funding power of the community CSS has a local donor that will match ALL DONATIONS 2:1. Donations for this drive will be tax-deductible.
CSS can be contacted at 541-606-3480 or 541-683-0836.
[e-mail]
communitysupportedshelters.org

[@carolinemaja2199]

Thank God more homless get a chance for a safe space and healing with these shelters! Thank the souls involved in helping.

[@sixpackbinky]

Gods bless these people for helping the less fortunate.

[@offgridjack5779]

They are building these in Oregon for the homeless. Very nice idea and quick to build!!

[@deborahbaskett1286]

Good idea but where is the bathroom. They need to be able to bathe a toilet. How will they wash their clothes. Yes it starts as a good thing but they need the government to do much better. There are empty buildings (hotels motels) and the residents can keep it clean in trade for a room. This is the U.S.A. should be doing better.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

@@deborahbaskett1286 These are not Tiny Homes. They are meant to be grouped around a main building with facilities. However, if you wanted to alter it to add those things, you could.

[@whitebranch]

This is a terrific idea, and I've been studying the different builds online. One thing that might improve this (already noble excellent effort) is to consider some kind of "belly wrap", that is, a waterproof layer underneath the wooden floor. Trailers built with wood floors will rot out from underneath, especially in a damp or wintry climate. Thanks for posting this, though. Gonna organize some building myself in my community, too.

[@michaelcucco5]

I think spraying the bottom with truck bed liner would seal it from rot.

[@sheepasleep1727]

Both the truck bed sealant and the plastic wrap are wonderful ideas! I know these huts are only meant to be temporary shelter but I think the huts would be a good tiny home as well

[@scottsmith5323]

I’m inquiring to a wire panel manufacturer as to get 20 foot panels made and increase the width to 8 feet

[@lorilange8654]

Yeah need to water proof!!

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

You can carefully cut a hole in the roof slide in a little $1 solar light from Walmart and get light until around midnight. I have a ezup 12X12 I did that with.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

For the interior, it would be better to get a tap-light. But the exterior would be a good place for one. You don't want it shining in your eyes when you're trying to sleep and you don't want it leaking.

[@sixpackbinky]

@@DarkMoonDroid they have switch offs

[@sixpackbinky]

They have tiny solar paneled lights I have a couple, they can charge on the porch during the day then just take the light bulb and hang inside, they have off n on switches.

[@scottthomsen4273]

Same design I have been planning for on a flat trailer. 👍🏼 One idea, tie a rope to one end of the metal panel, line up the other end on the ground-side, then use rope to pull panel over and down house. 🤔 8:44 👋 Might save you a finger or eyeball 😬👍🏼😁 Nice job on the build.

[@edmilton738]

In theory, it could be of any length, and possibly temporary storage, shelter on construction site.

[@clio66762]

Not only a great idea, you did it! Very Nice!

[@UNAVIDA8]

Lynn, this is art. Great video work.

[@pprattpratt]

Another way of connecting the cattle panels to each other would be crimping hog nose rings to the connecting sides of the pannels

[@redbandit38]

I like how they built in a front porch or a seating area outside.

[@lonewilf7938]

I've been waiting to see a video of someone making a cattle panel shelter for humans. I've been thinking about doing this on my property for a while now just haven't got around to doing it. I could definitely live in one of these huts. I lived in my car for two years and my van for three so this wouldn't be a big deal. I think I would build two or three of them close together and connect them and have hallways going from one to another.

[@sjr7822]

I've been a fan of the cattle panels, also, followed a fellow that came up with the idea, he used rebar to hitch the panels to, some have built wood base, say 4 ft high or concrete base

[@junglemungle5896]

When you lived in your car and van, how and where did you use to go to washroom?

[@monmixer]

@@junglemungle5896 Gas stations is the norm. You can shower at any COA ( campgrounds of america ) or a truck stop for 5 bucks. This is from experience working out of town. I could get a construction rate at the motels on week days but on the weekend they wanted as much for one night as the entire week Mon thru Friday at noon. Friday at noon your out unless you want to pay 150 a night.

[@elbertwatford1887]

How cud I get a supply list of materials and plans to build I wud like to start doing this in Chicago a lot of homeless ppl die this winter form the cold weather we had

[@DarkMoonDroid]

Good job, Team!!! This is my idea of *"Community!"*

[@fredfreiberger7878]

I love this

[@russgerde9809]

Awesome !

[@Tsiri09]

What is that outer covering?

[@dennisgolden7596]

Great idea at a affordable price.

[@yearofthegarden]

It's funny to see this young guy having these old wise guys working out all his designs. so many chefs in the kitchen, but it's not designed to be hurricane code proof, but a DIY tarp that doesnt require a sewing machine. Would like to see a design built out of 4x8 panels home made SIPs. PNW cedar fence boards are cheap and super easy to rip down on the dullest table saw. I've been wanting to build one of these for so long, one that can handle winter and actually be heated to 70ish. I'll be moving in a couple months, not sure where I'm going, although I have some things in the works, I would feel much happier living in a burly one of these.

[@oldlifter530]

Great idea

[@robertarivas7113]

you can do it!...thank you men....

[@lindalakota38]

I like how light weight and bright they are in side if solar was less expensive in few more years it will be more less expensive

[@mishawakapost2681]

This is like a Quonset Hut.

[@juliafayeconner8978]

I would like to have a list of what it takes to build one and measurements.

[@leannesmith5818]

This is a fantastic idea but does the land belong to the council

[@lindalakota38]

Id have no problem leting some homeless vets have a few coastoga vets stay on my 30 acre farm in belchertown mass i think its great

[@delorissampson2516]

I have a family member living this old van. he has no home,Ni dont know who to get help from. I wish Iknew..

[@lindawilson5937]

I was thinking Storeage Uints w/ utilly.

[@fredfreiberger7878]

I would like to have a list of materials

[@sjr7822]

What is the covering?

[@frankleonguerrero]

How can I Purchase one?

[@HomelessActionEugene]

www.communitysupportedshelters.org/

[@lindawilson5937]

how do they get food & water & bath

[@DarkMoonDroid]

They are meant to be parked in a village or near other facilities. It's not a tiny-house. Unless you wanna alter the plan and make it one. It can be done.

[@sixpackbinky]

They get help from community and outside John’s like construction workers use and a shower area too

[@davidbinion2016]

can you send me the size to build the hut

[@elbertwatford1887]

He wont do it cause he making money buy building where he at cause I asked to do this for the homeless in Chicago

[@wordswithgrace9077]

www.communitysupportedshelters.org/hut-construction-manual

[@huxmetalworks7371]

That's not good when you are trying to help people who need help I have a couple of friends who could use one in these trying times but I can't get any information it's really not good

[@DarkMoonDroid]

@@elbertwatford1887 He's not "Making Money". He's trying to cover expenses and make the project pay for itself. If he asked for donations to do all this, it would never get done. The plans are not expensive. They cost $40 + $9 shipping. You try and run a non-profit to help the homeless and see how far you get doing everything for free.

[@kimwilliams899]

I build one find place

[@anthonyjohnson7700]

Where do they go poop

[@alanbrown7533]

Hope no one slips and falls and sues

[@cindytolliver5327]

Looks like a cage.

[@wordswithgrace9077]

Not to the residents: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6DCe36lepVrp7M

[@sixpackbinky]

Looks like a castle and feels even better if you’ve ever been homeless. There’s nothing more hopeless and disorienting then being homeless.

[@danielbrinlee9939]

Too labor intensive, needs more simplicity.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

LOL

[@alanbrown7533]

Give them a free home so they can buy more dope!

[@DarkMoonDroid]

LOL Shows what you know.

[@sail4free1]

Alan Brown -- Only a *dope* would make such a dopey reply. :(

[@sixpackbinky]

It can happen to any one, be careful how you judge the homeless, and you’re dead wrong, shame on you.