A Los Angeles Nonprofit’s Call for Homeless Housing Solutions Draws 40 Shelter Ideas—and Counting

The Rapid Shelter Innovation Showcase crowdsources rapidly deployable shelters to curb growing homelessness amid the pandemic.

Jul 24, 2020 - 20:34
A Los Angeles Nonprofit’s Call for Homeless Housing Solutions Draws 40 Shelter Ideas—and Counting

The Rapid Shelter Innovation Showcase crowdsources rapidly deployable shelters to curb growing homelessness amid the pandemic.

While Connect Homes may be better known for their high-end prefab designs, the prefab home builder has also launched Connect Shelters, a line of state-approved shelters aimed at addressing temporary and permanent housing needs. The flexible units—priced at $30,000 per bed—comes with individual bathrooms for each bed as well as separate plumbing and mechanical systems to prevent contamination.

On any given night in Los Angeles County, more than 66,000 people are sleeping on the streets. That number is expected to grow amid rising unemployment, increasing evictions, and the pandemic’s interruption of dozens of planned homeless housing projects.

In a bid to safely bring the unhoused public indoors, Los Angeles–based nonprofit The Housing Innovation Collaborative (HICo) has launched The Rapid Shelter Innovation Showcase—an open-source, online platform for rapidly deployable shelter solutions to the homeless crisis worsened by COVID-19.

While Connect Homes may be better known for their high-end prefab designs, the prefab home builder has also launched Connect Shelters, a line of state-approved shelters aimed at addressing temporary and permanent housing needs. The flexible units—priced at $30,000 per bed—comes with individual bathrooms for each bed as well as separate plumbing and mechanical systems to prevent contamination.

While Connect Homes may be better known for their high-end prefab designs, the prefab home builder has also launched Connect Shelters, a line of state-approved shelters aimed at addressing temporary and permanent housing needs. The flexible units—priced at $30,000 per bed—comes with individual bathrooms for each bed as well as separate plumbing and mechanical systems to prevent contamination.

Connect Homes

Endorsed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, the ambitious initiative invites anyone around the world to submit their temporary or permanent shelter designs—from conceptual prototypes to on-the-shelf products—so long as the structures can be designed, built, and operated in 90 days or less.

Produced in Los Angeles, Jupe is a flat-packed prototype

Produced in Los Angeles, Jupe is a flat-packed prototype "chassis" with off-grid capabilities and an estimated setup time of just two days. Each 111-square-foot modular unit can be equipped with IoT equipment and includes two beds for an estimated cost of $7,500 per bed.

Jupe

Hamburg-based modular home company coodo has submitted coodo 32, the flagship series for their line of eco-friendly mobile homes. Each 322-square-foot contemporary structure has an estimated $62,500 cost per bed.

Hamburg-based modular home company coodo has submitted coodo 32, the flagship series for their line of eco-friendly mobile homes. Each 322-square-foot contemporary structure has an estimated $62,500 cost per bed.

coodo

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Los Angeles Nonprofit’s Call for Homeless Housing Solutions Draws 40 Shelter Ideas—and Counting
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