$100 D-I-Y shelter could help homeless Haitians (PICS)

[SallyMander]

With just $100 worth of plywood and screws, almost anyone can build a shelter known as a Hexayurt that can last three years and possibly even withstand a hurricane. The simple DIY structure could be a critical temporary solution for some of the estimated 1 million or more people left homeless in quake-torn Haiti.

Aid agencies have distributed around 10,000 tents to Haiti so far, according to to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), one of the dozens of charity groups in Haiti focused on emergency shelter. But 200,000 are needed, and even then, the tents won’t stand up to the weather.

“Tents are a three to five month option in the midst of the dry season,” said Vincent Houver, IOM Chief of Mission in Haiti, in a recent press release. “But emergency and transitional shelter solutions sufficiently durable to last at least two years need to be found before the heavy rains arrive in a few months.”

Tents do have the benefit of a supply chain already in place that makes it easy to ramp up production when disaster strikes, and they can be transported to remote sites and set up relatively quickly. But they run around $300 to $400 and only last about a year, in good weather.

“Once those tents are shredded, people are homeless again,” said Vinay Gupta, a self-taught risk management consultant and inventor of the Hexayurt.

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/hexayurt/

Hexayurt!





Some other ideas for temporary housing...

ShelterBox tents




reCover Shelter

[ipaint]

1. I could use one of those here in the states.

Lucky for me I have my truck.

[SallyMander]

9. Are you living in your truck?

I am sorry to hear that. I hope that things improve for you soon. :hug:

[ipaint]

10. Not yet but the senate didn't pass an extention to EU benefits

so if they aren't extended or they are extended late and checks are held up, I can't pay my rent and will be moving into my truck.
I'm preparing.

[ljm2002]

2. I wonder if they are considering using shipping containers...

...they are sturdy and unlikely to go anywhere in a hurricane. And they can be converted into nice permanent housing eventually.

Of course all of these things have logistics to be concerned about, so I don't know if it is a viable suggestion.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. Shipping containers and 100 degree heat with no A/C= bad

Tents at least are breathable to some extent.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[InkAddict]

4. I like these....

http://www.monolithic.com/topics/domes

[SallyMander]

8. Wow, some of those are amazing!

:wow:

[whathehell]

5. I'm always interested in cheap alternative housing...

I guess this housing wouldn't work in a cold winter, would it? (Yes, I know Haiti does not have cold winters!)...Just wonderin.

[zipplewrath]

6. Slightly more robust and long term solution

http://www.adayinhaiti.com/2010/02/04/hotelier-harris-rosen-wants-to-send-houses-to-haiti/

Now he says it’s time to think about Haiti’s future. His idea is to create modular houses in Central Florida and ship them to Haiti to be assembled into fishing and agricultural villages modeled after Israeli farming collectives.
The homes, at $5,000 each, would be sold to Haitians at 1 percent interest with flexible financing options for mortgages to be paid over 25 to 75 or even 100 years. Interest proceeds would be for microloans to Haitian entrepreneurs. His team expects to build 25 homes to start and envisions villages of about 200 homes each.

“Wouldn’t it be so beautiful? Could you imagine the pride of saying ‘This is my little house,’” Rosen said. “I mean the pride that will come with this is just unbelievable, and we are hoping it affects generations of Haitians.”

[SallyMander]

7. Those look really neat

Thanks for posting!

[ipaint]

11. There are well over 3 million homeless and growing in the states.

6 million long term unemployed will begin to exhaust all benefits in april. Perhaps along with helping the Haitians we could also help our fellow citizens. I've always lived small and would love the opportunity to finance something like that, it's about what I could afford on the 4-500.00 dollars a month I make online as an artist.

[SallyMander]

12. This sort of thing might have real potential in the south

No question there is a strong need for affordable housing all over the country. I worry about this particular model (the plywood one, i mean) in the north, where people would need to try to heat it... that could easily end in tragedy. Maybe some of the other designs would work though that could be insulated/heated.

[zipplewrath]

13. underlying land

In the end, in the US, the underlying land quickly becomes the driving cost. Habitat works hard at making "cheap" but lasting houses. They have to work as hard at getting "cheap" land as much as they do building materials.

[dugaresa]

14. how are there $5000 worth of bulding materials in that house

seems steep in price.

[zipplewrath]

15. Dunno really

There was talk of various features like wind and solar. Possibly they're embedding water filtration along with it. Truth is, if the effort is willing to run not-for-profit, the target price could be almost anything.

[blogslut]

16. At this point, if I had any money at all

I would be giving it to this organization:

http://www.shelterboxusa.org/

"The standard ShelterBox weighs 110 lbs. and has approximate dimensions of 2'3" x 1'4" x 11". They are sealed and banded for transit and security. Box contents vary depending on the nature of the disaster requiring their use."

Some of the selected Box items that are available for inclusion in the Box are:

• One 49 gallon box (The ShelterBox) initially the container for delivery of the materials listed below. Once delivered, the box takes an all kinds of uses and can be used as a water tank, food store, table, even a cot.

• One ten-person tent, including two fabric interior privacy partitions, outer fly-sheet and repair kit. These tents are considered ‘winter suitable’ by international relief standards.

• Vinyl insulated sleeping mats and lightweight thermal blankets. More compact than sleeping bags, these mats and blankets have multiple uses. The blanket can also be fashioned to catch water, as a tarp, while the mat also serves as a ground ‘table’ for meals, or tent rugs.

• One pack of 180 water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (Each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months).

• Two 2.1 gallon, collapsible, plastic water carriers.

• One collapsible trenching shovel

• Rope, 164 foot

• Repellant-treated mosquito netting

• Ten PVC Ponchos/ ten heavy duty plastic bags

• Tool kit in canvas bag: hachet, jack-knife, screwdriver, hammer, hoe head.

• Multi-fueled cook stove

• Eating utensils: plates and cups

• Children's activity kit-simple school supplies, stickers and coloring book.

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. Those would be better than the plastic tarps that are being provided

[deek]

18. ShelterBoxes

http://www.shelterboxusa.org/

From site:

If you'd like to make a $10 donation to support our Haiti earthquake relief work via your mobile phone, text the message Support Shelter to the number 20222.

Answer Yes when asked to confirm your donation. You will then receive a text message confirming your donation. A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your pre-paid balance. Messaging and data rates may apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers.

Donations are collected for the benefit of ShelterBox USA by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org. You can unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP to short code 20222; reply HELP to 20222 for help.