Making Apartments with Shipping Containers
Nathaniel Plummer, Larissa Copley, Ben Brown, Joey Watson, Dustin Kidd
Introduction to Homelessness
A Few Statistics
•About 16% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness.
•Of all homeless people, over half (56%) live in the five states with the largest homeless counts.
Stats cont.
•Highest rates of homelessness are in Washington D.C, New York, Hawaii, and California in that order.
•Lowest rates of homelessness are in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama
•Highest rates of both Female and Youth homelessness can be found in Massachusetts
Types of Homelessness
•Transitional Homelessness: Person is homeless for a short time because of a crisis or unforeseen event. This is the most common type of homelessness.
Other types of homelessness
•Episodic Homelessness: Person who has on-and-off periods of homelessness in their life or has been homeless 3 or more times within the past year. Many episodic homeless also struggle with medical issues, mental issues, and substance use disorders.
•Chronic Homelessness: person has been homeless more then a year or has had frequent episodes of homelessness within the last couple years. Most frequently suffer from long-term health conditions like mental illness, substance use disorders, disabilities, or other medical conditions.
Important Subpopulations
•Individuals: As mentioned earlier nearly 70% of those experiencing homelessness are individuals.
•Males: There are significant gender differences when it comes to homelessness. Around 60% of all people experiencing homelessness are male.
•Unsheltered: This refers to people who sleep in cars, on benches or sidewalks, in abandoned buildings, or in other locations not intended for human habitation. This group includes over a third (37%) of all homeless.
Unsheltered v Sheltered
•Nearly half of all unsheltered homeless people in the U.S. can be found in California. Where four of the five cities with the highest unsheltered homelessness rates in the country can be found.
•The highest rates of sheltered homeless are found in cities in the Northeast. Boston, New York City, and Washington D.C. all have some of the highest sheltered homeless rates in the country.
Homelessness in Tennessee
•In 2019 Tennessee had around 7467 homeless residents.
•558 were Family Households
•679 were Veterans
•366 were Unaccompanied Young Adults (18-24)
•1,133 were Individuals Experiencing Chronic Homelessness
•Now, if you include public school data reported to the U.S Department of Education during the 2017-2018 school year an estimated 17,766 public school students experienced homelessness during the school year.
References
•CFC Homelessness (Director). (2014, June 26). Cardboard Stories| Homeless in Orlando [Video file]. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THxtcWNw3QA
•Ettinger, Z. (2020, March 16). [Image of shipping container homes in Share Village]. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.insider.com/shipping-container-tiny-homes-for-las-vegas-homeless
•National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020, May 20). State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-2020/
•National Coalition for the Homeless. (2016). Homelessness in America. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://nationalhomeless.org/about-homelessness/
•Steele, A. (2020, August 12). US States & Cities with the Highest vs Lowest Rates of Homelessness Population: PsyDPrograms 2020. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://psydprograms.org/the-places-with-the-most-and-least-homelessness-in-america/
References
•The Council for Economic Advisors. (2019, September). The State of Homelessness in America. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/The-State-of-Homelessness-in-America.pdf
•The Different Types of Homelessness. (2020, October 13). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://guildservices.org/the-different-types-of-homelessness/
•The People's Project. (2020). Types of Homelessness [Digital image]. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.thepeoplesproject.org.nz/homelessness/
•U.S Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2019). Tennessee Homelessness Statistics. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/tn/
•USAFacts. (2020). Homeless population. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/poverty/public-housing/homeless-population/?utm_source=bing
Problems for the Individual
Major Issue 1
“As of January 2019, Tennessee had an estimated 7,467 experiencing homelessness on any given day [with] 1,133 [of these] individuals experiencing chronic homelessness” (United States Interagency Council on Homelessness).
According to a 2020 article by WJHL, the federal government released information showing that from 2018-2019 homelessness increased in 4 of 9 localities in Northeast TN- including Kingsport, Bristol, Carter County and Unicoi County.
Homelessness in Tennessee
Why the Increase?
“Poverty, unemployment, and lack of affordable housing are commonly recognized causes of homelessness [however,] these risk factors can be exacerbated by personal vulnerabilities such as mental and substance use disorders, trauma and violence, domestic violence, justice-system involvement, sudden serious illness, divorce, death of a partner, and disabilities.” (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2020).
“A majority (59 percent) [of Americans] live paycheck to paycheck, nearly half (44 percent) typically carry a credit card balance, and only 38 percent have built up an emergency fund” (Charles Schwab Corporation, 2019).
Economic Factors
The housing instability continuum for low-income households
Kleit, R., Kang, S., & Scally, C. (2015). The housing instability continuum for low-income households [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-housing-instability-continuum-for-low-income-households_fig1_279154759
“Many homeless persons eat fewer meals per day, lack food more often, and are more likely to have inadequate diets and poorer nutritional status than housed U.S. populations. Yet many homeless people eligible for food stamps do not receive them”(Wiecha, Dwyer, & Dunn-Strohecker, 1991).
“Homelessness is clearly associated with poor health and premature mortality owing to complex interactions between reasons for homelessness and consequences of homelessness” (Medcalf & Russell, 2014).
“Chronic homelessness is often characterized [in adults] by tri-morbidity; physical ill-health with mental ill-health and substance misuse” (Hewett & Halligan, 2010).
Physical Well-Being
“The stress, sense of failure and personal inadequacy, and the feeling of helplessness which are caused by the inability to secure basic needs, and by the social isolation and ostracism of the homeless can precipitate depression, anxiety and loneliness” (Rokach, 2004).
Mental Well-Being
Family Promise. (n.d.). Impact of Homelessness on Children
[Digital image]. Retrieved from https://familypromise.org/faqs/
Employment Issues
The National Coalition for the Homeless states that the homeless often struggle to find employment for a variety of reasons
Many homeless individuals “experience stigma because of prejudice and misconceptions about people with a history of mental illness and homelessness” (Poremski, Woodhall-Melnik, Lemieux, & Stergiopoulos, 2016)
Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (n.d.). To End Homelessness Start With Stigma. Retrieved from https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/end-homelessness-start-stigma
Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (n.d.). To End Homelessness Start With Stigma. Retrieved from https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/end-homelessness-start-stigma
Charles Schwab Corporation. (2019). Schwab Modern Wealth Index Survey 2019. Retrieved from https://www.aboutschwab.com/modernwealth2019
DeFusco, J. (2020,). Homelessness increasing in parts of Northeast Tenn., new federal findings suggest. Retrieved from https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/homelessness-increasing-in-parts-of-northeast-tenn-new-federal-numbers-reveal/
Family Promise. (n.d.). Impact of Homelessness on Children [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://familypromise.org/faqs/
Hewett, N., & Halligan, A. (2010). Homelessness is a healthcare issue. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 103(8), 306–307. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.2010.10k028
Kleit, R., Kang, S., & Scally, C. (2015). The housing instability continuum for low-income households [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-housing-instability-continuum-for-low-income-households_fig1_279154759
Medcalf, P., & Russell, G. (2014). Homeless healthcare: Raising the standards. Retrieved from https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/14/4/349
References
National Coalition for the Homeless. (n.d.). Employment and Income. Retrieved from https://nationalhomeless.org/issues/economic-justice/
Rokach, A. (2004). The lonely and homeless: Causes and consequences. Social Indicators Research, 69(1), 37-50. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/27522129.pdf?casa_token=PBZxLgLUsHQAAAAA:1pTkZNqMr6T5NnkNyDdl_2awKjXY-EeLOZiqyQ7wJNFqhxP-ofogNFVmeBc8KIdhWmMEw10v-is8Zin8KkX3KR03ZZuEwTxqG1Rzklml1zev2w3WZOSj
Poremski, D., Woodhall-Melnik, J., Lemieux, A., & Stergiopoulos, V. (2016). Persisting Barriers to Employment for Recently Housed Adults with Mental Illness Who Were Homeless. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4794459/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Housing and Shelter. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resources/hpr-resources/housing-shelter
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (n.d.). Tennessee Homelessness Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/tn/
Wiecha, J., Dwyer, J., & Dunn-Strohecker, M. (1991). Nutrition and health services needs among the homeless. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1580272/
References Cont.
Major Issue 2
The presence of crime among the homeless community.
Depending on the region 34%-82% of homeless have been victims of crime.
A Sean Fischer and colleagues study finds that laws and restrictions that affect the way of life of homeless people will contribute to the increase of crime.
This same study showed that homeless communities can have an increased rate of violent crime when compared to homeless living on the street.
Possible solutions
•Housing people is the first and most important step!
•Access to hygienic facilities opens the door for job opportunities.
•Safe environment
•Educate residents on resources available to them.
•Public transportation can help with employment and lower the frequency of property crime.
•Provide security for residents.
•Community watch concept.
Citations
“Attacks on Homeless...a Hate Crime.” Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, 31 Oct. 2012, cflhomeless.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/attacks-on-homeless-a-hate-crime/.
Brewer, Luna. “Free Ride Week at JCT Highlights Public Transit's Importance.” Johnson City Press, 17 June 2017, www.johnsoncitypress.com/news/free-ride-week-at-jct-highlights-public-transit-s-importance/article_8c6d1678-449d-53d7-aaa9-87eab22439e0.html.
Griffith, Cynthia. “Crime Against Homeless People Continues to Rise.” Invisible People, DISQUS, 8 Oct. 2019, invisiblepeople.tv/crime-against-homeless-people-continues-to-rise/.
“Johnson City, TN Crime Rates.” NeighborhoodScout, CoreLogic, 2020, www.neighborhoodscout.com/tn/johnson-city/crime.
National Coalition for the Homeless. “Vulnerable to Hate.” National Homeless, 2019, nationalhomeless.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/hate-crimes-2016-17-final_for-web2.pdf.
NET Trans. Job Access & Reverse Commute, FTHRA, 2017.
Price, Michael. New Insights on Homelessness and Violence. 1 Dec. 2009, www.apa.org/monitor/2009/12/violence.
Price, Michael. More than Shelter. Dec. 2009, www.apa.org/monitor/2009/12/shelter.
Possible solution (ours is shipping containers)
This is a family size shipping container apartments. This can also be used as a four occupancy home if walled off on the interior.
Design
Split Occupant Design
Split Occupancy
Singular/Partner Occupant Design
Singular Occupancy
Cost
Base cost to build per container:
Shipping containers are manufactured in two standard sizes: 20 x 8 x 8 ft. covering a surface of 160 sq. ft. and 40 x 8 x 8 with a surface of 320 sq. ft. A used 20-footer costs anywhere between $1,500 and $3,000, whereas a 40-footer costs $3,500 – $4,500.
You will also have to pay for professional labor (about $75-$150 per hour) and for the modifications needed to make the container livable. Expect to pay at least $15,000 for labor, more likely $25,000 per container.
There are a few ways to acquire funding for these apartments.
Cost (cont.)