Recycling Existing Materials

After my initial blog post about the waste generated from new construction and other building materials, I began researching companies and organizations, specifically in the Portland area that are actively reusing building materials. One organization that stood out, and a place I know from personal experience, is The Rebuild Center.  Their website states that the “ReBuilding Center is a climate justice nonprofit organization. We make reuse and repair affordable for all, reduce waste and wasteful consumption, and make the best use of our planet’s limited material resources.” I think working with an organization like this could be a great tool in sourcing used materials for shelters.

Another project that takes the idea of reusing materials is a project proposal done by students at PSU, where “students are working to turn retired light rail cars into places for people experiencing homelessness to rest, heal and recover.” The project is a part of The Afro Village Movement in which, “the movement focuses on addressing the needs of our most vulnerable population — unhoused individuals — with a focus on racial disparities and inequalities.” The image to the right is a proposal for the train cars and how they could be repurposed.

More about the project and organization here: When DESIGN meets ACTIVISM https://youtu.be/cfKE-Vk-ArE

It's encouraging to see that Portland has existing and ongoing projects that simultaneously take into account both houselessness needs and environmental needs.

-Sara (they/she)

Repurposing Existing Buildings to Mitigate the Homeless and Affordable Housing Crisis

   Sometimes innovation is not always needed to solving a problem, at times ingenuity and or the reapplication of old methods, or in this case buildings can lend themselves to a second use in future times that are often unexpected. During our research this past 10 weeks seeking to find solutions for the homelessness crisis, one major effort that came up was the repurposing of existing buildings. This solution has two major beneficial aspects, first being - minimizing the need to seek new materials, the second being - the struggles of location and being embedded into the urban fabric that many desire. 

1. Material

   Human’s must seek towards achieving a more symbiotic relationship with the Earth. As living organisms we have a deep rooted desire and connection with nature, and effort must be put forth to refocus our attention towards emphasizing ecology over economy, rather than falling victim to the selfish desires of obtaining economic stature. The rate at which we are extracting materials from the Earth is not sustainable. Studies have shown a direct correlation in the benefits of biophilic design which is the incorporation of nature in design. The more aspects of nature in one’s life brings many rewards both mentally and physically, from calming properties to higher air quality. 

   New construction of buildings often comes at the expense of the Earth because of the extraction of new raw materials furthering ostracizing our ability to connect to and incorporate nature into our lives as a society. Recent societies have shown too often to fall victim of valuing economic growth over ecological stability. Repurposing already built buildings to facilitate the needs of the people is a great option for future progression.

2. Location

   Many of the public supporting resources to those in need are located within the city limits, making proximity very important. Converting underutilized or vacant buildings to supportive and affordable housing addresses the interweaving of the urban fabric for those in need to other resources that they can access from public transportation to food services.

“We are facing a homelessness crisis and an affordable housing crisis. By repurposing underused hotels, we can create supportive housing faster and cheaper. We can make affordable, permanent housing available to families, seniors, and any New Yorker in need, including our neighbors experiencing homelessness.”  – New York Mayor Eric Adams 

Photo: (Archdaily )

   This solution is not exclusive to New York but as quoted my Eric Adams, Mayor of New York some of the benefits of reutilizing and repurposing existing buildings making it not necessary in some situations to construct any new buildings benefiting time, money and ecologies natural resources.

For other cost effective, durable and sustainable housing options for the homeless that include examples of innovation and ingenuity, check out our website: 

https://housingnewmaterials.weebly.com/

Spreading Awareness of Homelessness

 Homelessness is a topic often dodged at the dinner table. A topic that could raise a range of emotions from compassion to anger. You have individuals who understand the long list of causes that could lead to homelessness, and you have the individuals who look at the homeless as a problem that hasn’t been addressed. This knowledge gap is the dividing line between these two opinions. Bringing awareness to a topic like this is vital for the proper public response. A great example of how we can bring attention to such an issue, is the fundraiser called “Hands Across America”. On May 25, 1986, over 5 million people  across the country linked hands as a symbol of lending a hand to the less-fortunate. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, a human chain was formed with some more rural areas using hot-air balloons. While the goal of the fundraiser was not met, the event was able to bring major attention to the issue, deeming it a success. It just takes one person who becomes interested enough to volunteer and make some change. Be loud, and let the others hear your voice.

Millions of Americans link hands from coast-to-coast in the effort to raise $50 million and raise awareness for the country's homeless and hungry. 

Mercer Rosenfeld

The Cost of Homelessness

 When we talk about homelessness, we may be tempted to think that the issue is one of altruism and charity. The reality is that homelessness in the United States costs us an exorbitant amount of money. The National Alliance to End Homelessness informs us that the U.S. spent over $51 billion to fight homelessness in 2021 alone. Homelessness also prevents people from working. Many employers require a home address, or at the least a social security card and other identifying documents. Where are you supposed to store identifying documents when you're homeless? If you lose them or have them stolen, where do you get a new one sent? Because of these barriers, only 25% of the U.S. homeless population is employed. Endhomelessness.org reveals that there are over 500,000 homeless families and individuals in the United States as of January 2020. Using EndHomelessness.org's statistic, that's 125,000 individuals who don't work who need to access social services for their basic needs. This is not including those who are underemployed and unable to make enough to meet their basic needs. If you calculate the cost of providing a $20,000 Urban Camp Home  to every individual accounted for by Endhomelessness.org, it would cost $30 billion. Looking at the numbers, it just shows that we have a lot to gain economically from housing everyone, even if there is an initial cost. 

-Alex Kemp

Benefits of Mini 'Mod' Housing for Homeless

Beginning in 2019, Cambridge University worked with a homeless charity in order to investigate effectiveness of housing a group of homeless individuals. Using a piece of land leased by a church in Cambridge, together they provided six individuals with village style housing. The self-contained box-shaped homes are a total of 25 square meters, complete with a tiny kitchen, bathroom and front porch. Each of the six units cost £36,000, approximately $38,000 USD, and can be quickly assembled like a giant lego. 

Mini ‘Mod’ Housing 

Over a twelve month period, researchers found that the pilot project reduced drug and alcohol misuse and dramatically boosted physical and mental health. This ultimately led to improved financial management, new or increased work or training, and renewed relationships with family members. After one year, five out of the six individuals were ready to and financially secure to move onto social housing once their tenancy was concluded; the only one who was not ready left the housing project after six months. Since the start of the project, the original six mini ‘mod’ houses that were built has since been expanded to sixteen homes to combat homelessness in Cambridge, U.K 

Through this report conducted by the Cambridge University, it can be clear to see how this form of innovative housing can not only temporarily aid homelessness, both efficiently and cost effectively,  but serve as a form of rehabilitating homeless individuals back into the workforce and daily life of society. The experience of the six residents can reflect that provision of secure, self-contained housing alongside the provision of dedicated support can help to significantly improve the quality of life for people who have experienced homelessness. Although it is not a long term, and large scale, solution to the global homeless crisis, it can be seen as effective in a number of ways; but most importantly something as simple as a front door and personal space can make an individual feel more in control of their life. 

https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/modhomes

https://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/file/cambridgemodularhomesresidentexperiences1021pdf

ConnectHomes: Innovation to Aid Homelessness

Housing insecurity and homelessness are serious and complex issues in America and across the entire globe. According to a 2018 report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, around 550,000, or 17 out of every 10,000 people, experienced homelessness on a single night in the United States. Since this report was published, individuals across the globe have endured a pandemic that has significantly  impacted society as we know it  in every aspect of our lives; socially, economically, and politically. With the collapse and lock of the global economy throughout this pandemic, homelessness increased significantly to the point of emergency. In response to the global crisis, visionaries and governing forces have come together to aid and reduce homelessness through creative and cost effective modes of living.

 

One very innovative and unique mode of temporary housing that has recently been employed throughout cities in the U.S can be seen through Connect Homes. Connect homes was founded in 2013, and emerged into the homebuilding industry as a unique and cost effective form of factory built homes. In response to the global pandemic, the company began to think and create new forms of affordable housing the size of a bedroom; costing no more than $20,000 to build one bedroom. The first homelessness organization to use the design, a Bay Area nonprofit called LifeMoves, which is partnered with the City of Mountain View. Connect Homes is providing 88 bedrooms for the semi-permanent installation, which will also have support staff onsite, and only took over a month to complete. 

Not only are the units cost effective, but they have a flexible design: 

• Built into one main frame

• One four unit structure is 320 square feet; the same size as a shipping container 

• Interior can have between two and four private bedrooms, depending on whether each comes with a private bathroom and a small kitchen.

• Can include washer & dryer unit, as well as a kitchen and bathroom if part of a village style of living

• They can function both off-grid, and run off a generator or solar panels, or be connected to the regular grid; each bedroom also has independent air-conditioning and filtration.

Despite the fact that these new and innovative forms of housing have been praised for the cost effectiveness and comfortability, enough for a boarding school in Japan to house their students, the design is not a long term solution to the housing crisis across the globe. As mentioned above, housing insecurity and homelessness is a serious and complex reality faced by a wide range of individuals. And in order to find a long term solution to the global emergency, there are a number of factors that need to come together to properly address the issue. But for now, innovative and creative forms of living, such as Connect Homes, can be recognized as a sufficient form of temporary housing for now. 

https://connect-homes.com

https://www.fastcompany.com/90578339/these-modular-rooms-can-help-cities-quickly-and-cheaply-build-housing-for-the-homeless

- Shea Carstens 

Container Homes Are Good, But What If We Could Build Shelters In Less Time?: Meet Pallet

     In my last post, I talked about how different shelter companies are finding new ways to set up a home in a short time. In Los Angeles, they set up a container home shelter in six months, where 232 beds had a total cost of $57million. The project was expensive, but it was a village, therefore, they had to count on other facilities than just the dorms, such as a courtyard area, dog park, parking, commercial kitchen, and more. Now, in some places of Portland, we don't have 4.6 acres of land to set up a village, but we can set up smaller houses to accommodate those in need of a better living. That’s when Pallet comes into the picture. This company provides small individual shelters with the same material used to fabricate RVs. These shelters don’t include a bathroom, but the company offers another type of shelter with only toilets and a shower. In 2021, New Channel 21 reported that Multnomah County purchased 100 shelters in October of 2020 at $700 thousand funded thanks to federal funds. This price is hard to beat in comparison to the container homes and would make it more accessible to have the possibility to build more shelters in less time in the future. Also, Pallet offers additional features such as Wall-mounted heater, air conditioner, ceiling-mounted interior lighting, and a cold-weather package with increased insulation.  

For more information: https://palletshelter.com/why-pallet/ 

-Ayelen Enclusa

Could Container Homes Be The Next Fastest Solution For Homeless Shelters?

    Since 2020, container homes have been becoming more popular with the rising of tiny homes. This phenomenon is not only inexpensive compared to other housing materials, but also saves on construction time. Therefore, container homes could offer a faster solution when setting up homeless shelters. In October of 2020, the state of California set up the first shelters made out of containers in the city of Los Angeles called Hilda L. Solis Care First Village. The project was set up in a former parking lot, sixty-six containers were used, and it only took six months to be fully completed for occupation. The project had a cost of 57million dollars it was funded by COVID-19 aid relief, the Economic Security Act, and local government. The shelter counts with dorms, a common dining area, a commercial kitchen, laundry facilities, administrative spaces, a park, dog park, and parking spaces. Only one month after opening in April of 2021, all of the 232 dorms were fully occupied.  The short time that the state of California was able to set up the shelters, gives hope for Portland's homeless situation. We want the homeless community to feel hopeful, and loved, and this project showed that a hundred percent. 

More information: https://hildalsolis.org/hilda-l-solis-care-first-village-receives-license-agreement-initiate-operation/ 

 

-Ayelen Enclusa 

Night Shelters and Rehabilitation

 

As many know, night shelters are a great way for those who are homeless to have the ability to have a roof over their heads as the nights pass. This is something that is seen across many states and countries, as an easily affordable way for nightly homing. These shelters being easily affordable, many being free, allows those who are without to not have to stress about housing as cost of living in many states is higher now than in recent years. Night shelters are good for meals as well, as they provide meals for their residents that night. My question is, do these shelters provide opportunity past nightly homing. Yes homing the homeless is the ultimate goal but how can we look to better these people so they do not continue to struggle within this lifestyle. A good proposal would be, within these shelters provide programs of rehabilitation to steer the homeless in a more positive way. Within these programs, provide jobs with compensation so that while in these shelters we are housing, changing their mindsets on whatever lifestyle they previously lived, and providing income to then leave and have the opportunity to succeed within society. With this new view on shelters, instead of free living, paying a small fee to attend this housing, or providing jobs within the shelters to pay for their stays and rehabilitation will allow those who are looking for change to have that chance and progress with it. 

For more information: https://www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resources/hpr-resources/housing-shelter

- David Joseph II

The Impact of Substance Abuse and Homelessness

 

Often than not many people view homelessness as a cause by some sort of addiction or substance abuse. Often than not many cases of substance abuse can often cause and lead to homelessness. These both are interchangeable when thinking of one another but go hand in hand when looking for solutions. Substance abuse can be seen as a result of homelessness to cope with the pain and hard times these individuals are going through, a way for them to rid the burden of stress. This cycle is nonetheless a never ending circle that causes those within it to never surpass their day to day living and situations. Breaking an addiction is challenging in a situation such as this, in many cases those who are addicted become disconnected from their family and friends, not allowing for any form of support system to attend these addictions.  This is why we may see so many relapses within these addictions, these people are not receiving the proper outlets to rid themselves of these addictions. When we are looking to combat homelessness through substance abuse we must look for good outlets and forms of education to educate the community/society as a whole to allow those who are in these situations to have the ability to succeed. Starting with the youth, this will allow the education to begin early and continue as years progress. Programs such as Life Skills Training Program (LST) is a great way for the youth (middle school students) to learn protective and risk factors by teaching basic and general life skills, paired with drug and substance abuse prevention. With preventative measures in place for not the youth but adults and seniors, we may look to see progress within homelessness and the combating of substance abuse and addiction.

More Information:

Website: https://www.lifeskillstraining.com/

- David Joseph II

What if We Could Grow Our Own Homes?

  In A Gift from Earth by Larry Niven, citizens of Mount Lookitthat on a distant planet have no wood to build homes.The houses on Mount Lookitthat grow whole from pink coral that can fix itself. Flat screen not included. They call it "architectural coral". Can you imagine what it would be like if we had such a material? Architectural coral would make it basically free and effortless to build a house. We seem to have a shortage of growable land coral on Earth, but do we have something similar? Let's take a look at some ideas floating around on the idea of growable homes:

Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has spearheaded a program to engineer building materials that grow and repair themselves! Click below to find out more about the Engineering Living Materials Program and the possible home grown homes of the future!

DARPA

What about building new homes out of old homes? Cleveland studio Redhouse Architecture are trying to use fungus to break down derelict houses  into material that can then be used to make new houses. Pretty cool, huh? Watch this video to find out more.

These ideas may seem futuristic, but the future is not that far away! 

-Alexandria Kemp

Beautiful Burdeis: The Possible Future of Green Housing in the Pacific Northwest?

What exactly is a burdei, you might ask. At first glance, it reminds one of a magical hideaway built into green hills like something straight out of The Hobbit. But upon closer inspection, one can see a stovepipe protruding out the top; on even closer inspection of the interior, one sees a bed, cookstove (used for heating and cooking), dining tables and chairs, shelves on the walls displaying books/photos/knicknacks and a general feel of warmth and coziness. 

As we transition into a time where the preservation of Mother Earth is becoming more and more necessary (and where traditional housing is cost-prohibitive), we need to look at alternative ideas for building that are more in line with the earth, yet sustainable and work with the environment in which we live. Enter burdeis. 

Exterior of a Burdei

A burdei is a partial dugout/pit house composed primarily of sod and clay/mud (scavenged wood can also be used). These kind of dwellings originated in climates similar to those in the Pacific Northwest with cool temperatures and wet skies. 

                                                        

                                                                     Interior of a Burdei

If you or someone you know is interested in this fascinating way of building with materials found in nature to preserve our Earth (and that is very cost-effective!), please visit the following links:

https://earthhomesnow.com/burdeis.htm

https://naturalbuildingblog.com/burdei-homes/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burdei

-- Donnelle Clark

Not Just About Housing: How Empathy Impacts The Unhoused

While tiny home and micro-shelter village initiatives to provide safety and support for unhoused people are becoming more common, the issue of placement remains a significant barrier. As Portland, Salem, and Eugene continue to push forward on village placements to address the ongoing crisis of unhoused populations, neighbors of proposed sites have continued to create obstacles. But among the continuing oppositions of village placements, there are stories highlighting the role empathy plays as a fundamental part of successful initiatives to support unhoused individuals.

The Statesman Journal covers Lisa Arana and Brenda Chandler's micro-shelter installation on their own property while other neighborhoods continue to oppose micro-shelter village sites: At a time when others in the community are saying "Not in our neighborhood" to micro-shelters for the homeless, one South Salem couple is saying "Yes, in our front yard." 

OPB's coverage of Portland State University's Village Research and How-To Guide offers additional encouragement that neighboring residents who initially opposed the installation of tiny villages "often moved from being really against villages to being some of their biggest advocates."

One key to unlocking effective empathy for people who are unhoused is through breaking down the stigmas that often surround the issue of becoming unhoused. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, contributing factors to being unhoused span everything from economics and health to racial disparities and escaping domestic violence. Portland Rescue Mission dives further into the problems and solutions affecting people in unhoused situations, including the devastating effects of isolation and loss of community. 

More information on local housing initiatives can be found at the following links:

Portland Safe Rest Villages 

Salem Micro-Shelter Villages

Eugene's Opportunity Village

- RG

Making Room for Man's Best Friend

As the saying goes, a dog is a man’s best friend. This statement rings true for many in the homeless community. Having a companion animal gives many the sense of belonging, responsibility, and emotional well-being as they face homelessness. Local data shows that around 10% of those facing homelessness have either service animals, emotional support animals, or companion animals. However, even though a significant portion of those facing homelessness have animals, many shelters do not accommodate them, instead urging people to separate from them. In many cases the human-animal bond is so strong that people refuse to part with their animals, leaving them without access to shelter. On top of that, many other services only allow service animals, keeping many facing homelessness with animals from receiving other vital services. As we continue with our project of designing cost effective shelter, it is important we take into consideration the needs of those with animals. People need to feel that their shelter is safe to leave their furry friend as they access other services. This includes having a shelter that is secure and designed to keep them and their animal safe from the elements.   

The National Alliance to End Homelessness and PetSmart Charities worked together to create  the “Keeping People and Pets Together” resource back in 2020 to help shelters create policies and practices that can better support those who face homelessness with pets. If you or anyone you know is interested, you can read more about their work here.   

-Alexandra Carlsson

The Importance of Decoration in Homeless Shelters

 

There is a lack of care taken to the design of shelter provided for houseless individuals. Homeless shelters often carry the aesthetic of an emergency room or jail. Uniform hallways, rooms, and decorations, stark white or olive drab walls, and bright lights are commonplace in many homeless shelters. 

A study was conducted by Jill Pable wherein two homeless families were compared. Both families were comprised of a single mother and two children. Both families began in a room fitting the description above: metal bunk beds, a single light fixture, a single dresser, and pale green walls. After two months, the first family moved into a room which was upgraded to allow them to take control of their environment. The second family remained in an unaltered room for the duration of the study.

The upgraded room had curtains and dividers which allowed them to create personal spaces. Dressers and cabinets allowed them to store their belongings separated from each other's belongings. Good lighting encouraged reading, schoolwork, and play. Marker boards allowed the children a creative outlet and a way to decorate the space. In the upgraded room the family displayed photographs, artwork, and their belongings in a decorative fashion while the family in the unaltered room did little work to personalize the space.

The first family spent all day together in the upgraded room, which is something they never did in the unaltered room. They also had many more visitors than the family in the unaltered room. The adjustable nature of the upgraded room allowed the family living in it to change the room to fit their needs and personalities. Pable suggests that the ability to express themselves through the space they live combats the feeling of helplessness that comes with being homeless. Designing shelter for houseless individuals with a focus on allowing the space to be personalized and adjusted would likely benefit their mindset and wellbeing. In turn, this could put them in a more stable position to find permanent housing. 

To read Jill Pable's study, click here: The Homeless Shelter Family Experience Examining the Influence of Physical Living Conditions on Perceptions of Internal Control Crowding Privacy and Related Issues 

For information on trauma-informed design, click here: The Increasing Need for Trauma-informed Care Shelters

-Elliot Watson

The Necessity of Shelter and Water

 

   Rain is pouring, wind is gusting, temperatures are low; luckily for many of us the view of this weather is from the comforts of some form of a home. Some experience such climates directly, unable to escape the cold reality of being without the tranquility of a shelter or home. The idea of a ‘home’ is an all important step in one’s ability to be content in the present and to conceive aspirations for the future. We believe everyone deserves the right to a place they call home. 

 

   Upon research for possible design solutions to alleviate the pains and discomforts of those who have found themselves without a home, I stumbled upon the additional problem that many throughout the World struggle with: access to clean water. Shelter along with food and water are the most rudimentary needs of human beings. The tension lies between finding cost efficient solutions, ecologically friendly, and locational feasibility to all the problems.

   At the moment, an all inclusive design solution for homelessness, including both shelter and plumbing, may not be successful in bringing immediate comfort. Separating the needs to bring insulated living temperatures and a space away from the elements is key, along with bringing water accessibility to the people in need. Communities without shelter and access to water will not be able to thrive. All life requires water to be nourished, which lead me to read about lavamaex’s approach of providing water based programs to street services to many throughout the country. The idea is to:  “provide 1:1 program consulting, free and fee-based in-depth training, do-it-yourself toolkits, seed funding, and ongoing support to help people and organizations around the world launch and sustain their own LavaMaeˣ-designed programs with our Radical Hospitality® approach” (lavamaex.org). This hybrid fusion combining shelter and transportable water to locations of need can alleviate the struggle for those who are without both necessities in a quick and economically friendly manner in the short term. 

   As members of society we must continue to pursue design solutions that promote the health for all of those around us, both in the immediate timeline and for the future. For more information on how to help, click:  lavamaex to see more details on how to support or get involved.

 

Photo: ( lavamaex )

It Takes A Village

Portland State University has truly done some wonderful work over the last few years examining solutions to the vexing issue of homelessness.

For instance, the findings from a two-year survey led by PSU’s Homeless Research and Action Collaborative were recently released, which studied the efficacy and influence of the “Village Model,” as the report calls it, as an alternative form of shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

The report’s authors looked at six existing or former villages in the Portland area: Kenton Women’s Village, Hazelnut Grove, Dignity Village, Agape Village, St. Johns Village and the Clackamas County Veterans Village, all of which shared three common elements: Private and individual shelter spaces with shared common facilities, a sense of community with shared agreements on behavior, and the ability for villagers to have some agency over their environment.

The findings, researchers say, may also serve as a best-practice and how-to guide for setting up future villages for success.

The report’s key takeaways:

1. Villagers were largely satisfied or very satisfied with their pod as a place to live (86% expressed being satisfied or very satisfied).                   

2. Most (69%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their village as a place to live.

3. And most (79%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their neighborhood as a place to live.

4. Food insecurity remains a major problem at villages, with 45% of villagers reporting being food insecure. This suggests that while villages are helping some individuals meet their basic needs for food, there is still a need to ensure that everyone has access to food.

5. Villages have disproportionately served White people (particularly White men) and need to institute more mechanisms to support people of color. We also found that BIPOC villagers reported lower levels of belonging and acceptance within their villages compared to White villagers.

6. The feeling of having a voice and influence over the social and physical aspects of the village had major impacts on villager satisfaction, but it was not necessarily contingent upon full self-governance.    

7. Concerns about villages among neighbors diminished over time. That is, most neighbors who reported concerns (e.g., decreased property value, increased crime) when they first learned of villages being located in their neighborhood reported no longer having those concerns after living near the village.

8. Size, cost, infrastructure, and governance structures vary widely across villages, and there is very limited knowledge sharing between villages.

9. The vast majority of stakeholders feel that the ideal number for a village is between 20 and 30 people. This range was offered for a variety of reasons that included community cohesion, impacts on internal work shifts at self-governed villages, staff-to-villager ratio, and efficiencies and limitations related to the physical infrastructure of a village.

10. Key unexplored opportunities for future villages include: Integrating villages into emergency preparedness plans, designing villages to better support parents, creating a city-level village liaison position, designing villages around activities and interests, and leveraging village investment toward the creation of affordable housing.

As our own EcoLife project takes shape, it is important sometimes to remind ourselves why we are doing this in the first place. What difference will these shelter materials make? 

PSU's incredible Homeless Research and Action Collaborative answers us, Because a society should be judged on how it takes care of its least fortunate – and in that regard, there is still a lot left to do.  

Read about their work here.