Prefab interim housing tackles homelessness

DignityMoves

This non-profit creates safe communities where individuals can get back on their feet

Spotted: Affordable housing continues to be inaccessible for many people around the world, not least in the US. As a result, in California alone, around 186,000 people currently live either on the streets or in homeless shelters. When it comes to tackling homelessness, much of the focus and funding goes toward permanent housing, which takes huge amounts of money and time to build.

Without reliable access to electricity, plumbing, and the Internet, it can be extremely difficult for people living on the streets to get back on track, find or keep a job, and build stability while they wait for permanent housing. Wanting to provide unhoused individuals with a safe, clean, and empowering “waiting room”, California-based non-profit DignityMoves has created a programme of interim supportive housing: temporary communities where individuals can get back on their feet.

To start, the organisation identifies appropriate areas of vacant or underutilised land that could be turned into temporary DignityMoves communities. This includes private land where development projects have been delayed, government- and hospital-owned areas that have been reserved for potential future expansion, and empty land owned by faith-based organisations.

Building requirements for traditional structures are complex and rigorous, but recognising homelessness as an immediate crisis, DignityMoves uses the same building codes that are used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency when responding to natural disasters. This gives the non-profit the flexibility it needs to create safe, liveable housing at the speed required. To build quickly, DignityMoves uses pre-fabricated, modular structures, which also keeps the overall development cost low.

Beyond the private living units, which cost between $15,000 and $30,000 per room to construct, DignityMoves also builds a wider interim community. Depending on the space available, this includes: a dining building, which also serves as a conference room and activity centre; community gardens and other outdoor spaces; an area with computers where residents can research and apply for jobs; pet relief areas; and staff offices.

As well as access to bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities, residents are also provided with free on-site meals. They can also access essential mental and physical health care services. The idea is that these communities will only be needed for three to five years while residents come and go as they get back on their feet. After this time, the modular components can then be relocated and reused in a new community.

In September, DignityMoves received a $500,000 grant from the Citi Foundation as part of its Global Innovation Challenge and with the help of the new funding, the non-profit hopes to help 44,000 people by 2036.

Written By: Matilda Cox