Frequently asked Questions:
1.) How does this organization differ from Habitat for Humanity?
Habitat for the Homeless focuses on building high quality small housing units for single homeless persons not families. Habitat for Humanity builds traditional larger multi-bedroom houses for low-income families. They sell the homes they build to their clients at no-profit with affordable no interest mortgages. We provide the housing we build to our adopt-a-block volunteers in exchange for 24 hours a week of volunteer service in the neighborhood where their tiny house is located.
2.) How would a homeless person in San Francisco qualify for this program?
Applicants must be single San Francisco residents who are clean and sober and able to perform construction work, manual labor cleaning the street, or office work. Those who can prove long-term San Francisco residency or are veterans will get preference. Our trained staff will help applicants get into programs to overcome addictions to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
3.) Would this program work for all our ten thousand homeless people?
No! This program would only work for those homeless who are willing and able to help themselves with the minimum of assistance. The mentally ill, or those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, or those not able to work or care for themselves would not qualify. The program is targeted at getting one to two thousand able-bodied homeless who push shopping carts all day off the streets. "We trade shopping carts for permanent housing and weekly work."
4.) Why a ten foot by ten-foot housing unit?
Thirty years ago, the Japanese were building similar small housing units in Tokyo for their citizens. The Soviet Union had a minimum standard of housing for a single person of just over 100 square feet. One hundred square feet works. Come visit our tiny housing unit ShelterOne and see for yourself.
5.) How can you get a bathroom, kitchen, and a sleeping area in 100 square feet?
The units are quite adequate. They have a ceramic tiled bathroom with a toilet, wall sink, and bathtub/shower. The kitchen has a sink, refrigerator, and cook-top or microwave; and a good amount of storage space. The sleeping area has a single bed raised five foot above the floor with a lounge chair below.; It has a chair and desk with space for a TV or computer. The floor is covered with ceramic tile over cement board to increase its fire resistance. The unit is fire sprinkled, with a one-hour fire rating. It has a steel entrance door and an egress window for fire safety and security. The units are stackable, soundproof, and earthquake safe. Most people are sold on the viability of the unit as they would through the door of our mobile prototype unit we call ShelterOne.
6.) Why not build this type of affordable housing for students and the working poor?
We as a society need to begin to look at smaller ultra-affordable housing units for people starting out or getting a new start in life. The homeless are the most neglected and we put them first in line for the volunteer housing that we build using former homeless labor.
7.) What does one of these housing cubicles cost to build?
The material cost is around $12,000.00 using volunteer former homeless craftsmen trained by our program. We sell our cubicles to anyone outside of San Francisco for $25,000 FOB SF. We use the profits to build more housing units for needy San Franciscans.
8.) Where would the cubicles be built.?
We propose to build them in any areas that homeless people now live in. Our best locations will be in the air space above Church parking lots. Churches are located throughout the City and use their parking lots mostly on Sunday. We are approaching Churches to lease the airspace above their parking lots. We will trade six parking spaces for four parking garages, above which we will build eight housing units with roof top gardens. Habitat communities can be built on any lot not large enough for standard housing units. Under the rebuilt freeways, we could stack two of these units and a rooftop garden in the space occupied by one parked car and still maintain the parking space.. In any vacant single lot (25� x 100�) we could place 20 of these ShelterOne units and still have 50 foot deep yard or garden. We could build above a street level parking lot and place 20 of these units with a 1,250 square foot roof garden, without impacting neighborhood parking. Church property would be the easiest to get permit approval because they have a history of housing volunteers like priests and nuns.
9.) Why would any Church want homeless people housed in their neighborhood?
Homeless people now live on the streets in most City neighborhoods. 169 died on the streets in 2000, due to exposure and/or drug abuse. Giving others a helping hand or a second chance is what Christians and other religious believers are supposed to do. Philosophy aside, Habitat for the Homeless is a win-win program for all involved. The Churches trade the air space above their parking lots for a cleaner/safer streets and help the less fortunate in the process.
10.) How would these units effect parking and traffic throughout the City?
By eliminating mechanical street cleaning and the related parking tickets; we will actually increase the street parking available in the City. Our volunteer housing units which are built in the air-space above parking spaces will maintain existing parking supply. The rooftop gardens and street trees that are planted and maintained by our volunteers will improve the air quality and the environment in the City. Each group of ShelterOne units will have secure parking for motorcycles and bicycles.
11.) Are contributions to Habitat for the Homeless tax-deductible?
Habitat has applied for tax-exempt status as a non-profit charitable construction corporation in the State of California. Our federal 501(c)(3) application is under consideration. When these applications are approved, all contributions will be tax-deductible.
12.) How is this program funded?
Once we get our IRS 501(c)(3) status, we expect to apply for foundation grants, solicit tax-deductible contributions for San Francisco residents, and buy our construction materials at or below cost from local and national suppliers. We will also qualify for City mandated affordable housing funds paid for by voter approved bonds and fees changed to housing and office space developers.
13.) What is the long-term goal of Habitat?
To develop a model for trading decent housing for weekly volunteer service to the community. Our five-year goal in San Francisco is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and medical care to 2,000 able-bodied homeless people in exchange for weekly volunteer work improving the neighborhood environment.
To develop a volunteer housing/community service model for the nation to copy and to begin to solve the complicated problem of homelessness.