Subject: habitat for humanity needs fresh ideas

From: hank miller <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 02 Sep 1996 18:04:21 -0800

since the cost of affordable housing is skyrocketing in the U.S. we 
need to gather a collective of the best and brightest to formulate new 
and cost effective alternatives to current housing design and 
construction.

if NASA can come up with fresh and effective ideas and other agencies 
where people have had a vision and the drive to achieve results then 
the ame can hold true for affordable and modular housing here.

let's hear your ideas.

hank miller
habitat for humanity, marin county, california
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Joe Pica)
Date: Tue, 03 Sep 1996 02:54:49 GMT

>habitat for humanity, marin county, california

although I abhor cynics and advertisment in newsgroups as a rule (and
not necessarily in that order), I, unfortunately, will be cynical in
answering your inquiry.

NASA is composed on hundreds (nay, thousands) of highly (extremely
highly) paid engineers and other professionals.  In addition, our
government procures the services of outside consultants to assist NASA
at the cost of billions of dollars.  Additionally, these hired
engineers and professionals and outside engineering and professional
consultants have funds provided by our government that outfit said
group with the best and finest available in the way of laboratory
space, equipment and the means to test (and re-test) theories and
hypothesis.  In fact, some of the testing costs millions and are
spectacular failures (re: many a fabled launch from Vandenberg AFB).

Although HFH is a wonderful organization (relative to the stated goals
and outpouring of good will), asking for ideas for the formulation of
new and cost effective alternatives to current housing design and
construction is a bit myopic at one level and presumptive at the other
extreme.

I think it can be agreed that the erection of simplistic suburban
single family residences (strangely located in urban areas)  by the
community at large (a la barn raising by the Amish) and
paint/patch/repair of existing tenements (I think there is a project
in the Bronx by HFH  - which Jimmy hisself worked on) is akin to
putting a finger in dike (or bandaid on a severed arm).

First, look at developing planned communities (urban or suburban)
which involve hundreds or thousands of units.  Second, re-write the
planning and zoning codes of the local jurisdiction to deal more
effectively with land use (zero lot lines, shared communal spaces,
mixed use construction, etc.).  Then and only then can you begin to
look at different construction techniques and new construction
materials (which may remain untested until you test them).  At that
time, indemnify the manufacturer and architect and contractor so that
the possibility (read: probability) of litigation will not force a
conservative response (or none at all).

A simple request.  A complex set of issues.  And, not to compound my
cynicism, but...how about paying architects and other design
professionals the same (with the same benefits) as those NASA
engineers (developing toilets and hammers for upteen thousands of
dollars).

Just my humble opinion.

Joe

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From: [email-masked] (Harris Lowenhaupt)
Date: 4 Sep 1996 23:31:26 GMT

>On Mon, 02 Sep 1996 18:04:21 -0800, hank miller
><[email-masked]> wrote:
>
An old, affordable housing technology which became costly may now be
affordable again.  See:

<http://www.lvnexus.net/nimud>

Regards,

-- 
Harris Lowenhaupt
Cast Earth
Nickel Laterites
<http://www.lvnexus.net/nimud>

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From: [email-masked] (Christopher Kirk)
Date: Wed, 04 Sep 1996 22:36:55 GMT

>let's hear your ideas.

I'm very impressed that HFH is starting to look into this. David South
of Monolithic Constructors (thin-shell concrete domes) once told me
that HFH wasn't interested in their designs because they were
unconventional... 

Monolithic has a design that allows reuse of the inflation envelope,
dramatically lowering the cost of individual structures. There's a guy
in Oregon who does concrete domes with straw bale insulation - combine
these two ideas and you have a system that is inexpensive,
indestructible, energy-efficient, fast and easy to build, relatively
maintenance-free and suitable for work parties. With proper design
they can look reasonably attractive. What more could HFH ask for?

Contact Monolithic through:
http://www.monolithicdome.com/

Darryl Parker maintains an excellent page of concrete-dome related
links at:
http://www.texhoma.net/~goldnoil/domepage.html

Here's a similar concept; I'm not advocating this at this point, but I
think it's worth discussing:
http://mailhub.icx.net/~richarda/ulc.html

If Habitat groups start building structures like these here and abroad
instead of the stick monstrosities they build now, I'll seriously
consider joining.

Good luck,
Christopher Kirk
Olympia, WA

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From: [email-masked] (EAPutnam)
Date: 9 Sep 1996 17:07:46 -0400

Well, I had been looking for an excuse to address this group for a while
and tell you about our "little" project in Homestead... thank you to Hank
Miller and Joe Pica for giving me a reason...

Homestead Habitat for Humanity is in the process of building 187 homes in
a project called Jordan Commons.  It is considered a model for sustainable
communities, in terms of its neo-traditional site design, use of
recyclable materials, application of energy efficient technologies, and
its construction waste management program.  Although, these will not be
the least expensive houses that Habitat has ever built, they are certainly
something for you to study, specially when you look at the overall cost of
development to communities.  

I would like to tell you that Jordan Commons was the result of forward
thinking on behalf of HFH to find innovative solutions to the affordable
housing problem, however the real impetus was that there was such a great
need for affordable housing in South Dade County following Hurricane
Andrew.  Regardless of the intial reason that Habitat chose to build a
community of this magnitude, Jordan Commons will be a community in the
spirit of the logic expressed in Joe Pica's posting and will serve as a
valuable lesson for affordable housing developers and other Habitat
affliates (as for the rest of the cynism,  sorry Joe, only one cause at a
time)

Soon we will have a web page up for the world to see, and we will post the
address here when it is up and running, until then if you would like
further information about Jordan Commons you can e-mail us.

Incidentally,  we are in the process of building and could really use your
help.  For more information about helping contact Beth Putnam or Christina
Crespo at (305)247-0847

Beth