The EDAR, a cross between a shopping cart and a pop-up camper, is a step up.
EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) provides shelter to the homeless in an innovative cost and usage effective way. The EDAR unit is a purpose-specific, special four-wheeled enclosed device, very roughly reminding one of a covered shopping cart.
During the day, the EDAR unit is used to pursue the necessities of life. Personal belongings are secured by the use of locks. The front and back of the cart have storage baskets with removable canvas pouches. The unit is waterproof and provides protection for what it contains. EDAR’s wheels are better than a supermarket cart’s, being slightly larger and easier to steer in a consistent fashion. There are two brake and locking mechanisms which ensure the unit will not move on its own.
At night, the EDAR unit easily hinges out and down to Night Mode in less than 30 seconds, becoming a sleeping unit. Unfolding the unit allows it to lock in place as the flat metal base extends. The metal and wood base has a mattress and military-grade canvas cover, providing a robust tent-like shelter. The unit is flame-retardant, waterproof, windproof and helps protect from the elements. There are translucent windows that provides light and a view of the surrounding area. By re-folding the unit, the EDAR quickly returns to Day Mode.
EDAR’s are given free of charge as resources allow, to homeless people directly and through our shelter partners. We track the progress of the EDAR units through our shelter partners and by asking the users to call a toll-free number to let us know how each EDAR is working for them and exactly how and where they are using the EDAR.
To learn more about the EDAR and to donate to this great cause go here.
Photo Credits EDAR and Los Angeles Times
Edar Comes to Downtown Los Angeles and the Union Rescue Mission
Film producer and philanthropist Peter Samuelson sits in one of the mobile shelters he developed. The EDAR, short for Everyone Deserves a Roof, features bins to hold cans, bottles and other recyclables collected by day. It folds out to create a sleeping platform, topped by a canvas cover with zippers and windows.
An EDAR belonging to Christopher Raynor sits near Pacific Coast Highway and Temescal Canyon Road. “This is one of the greatest damn gifts you could ever give to anybody,” Raynor says.
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I love this, it is so important to create housing for people who need shelter that will work for the life they are currently living, even if we wish we could do more. So many times we don’t do anything because we think it won’t be enough, this is fabulous.
In some respects it reminds me of Habitat for the Homeless. Habitat/Homeless builds a 100 sq ft home in exchange for community service to homeless who are in a recovery program. I think we MUST have multiple models we can apply in our society to effectively get people from different backgrounds, housing.
I’ve had to re-set my plans and look at building a 65 sq ft dwelling to live below my means… (and I am looking forward to it.)
Hi Ben, I am very interested in your home that you plan to build. Please be sure and let me know when you build it as I would enjoy featuring it here on the Tiny House Blog.
Kent
I live in a poor rural area, and many people here and all over our country live in trailers or mobile homes. I would like to see some articles about how to improve these hard to heat and cool structures. People some times have to chose between eating and heating, the retrofits would have to utilize free or cheep matirials and be able to be done by unskilled labore.
these structures would qualify as tiny or at least small houses. Is this movement only for the wealthy?
Hi Elizabeth – Unfortunately I am not a builder and don’t know the answers to your question. I will do some research to see what I can find out though. Also any readers who are more knowledgeable in this area then I am, please feel free to contact me or share information via comments. And in my opinion, no this movement is not just for the wealthy, though it seems like we tend to cover the high end on many of our blogs.
Kent
If you like the edar, or are just interested in housing the homeless, google “hexayurt”
zach1235@yahoo.com
Hi Zach – The Tiny House Blog did a post on the “hexayurt” here: http://tinyhouseblog.com/yurts/the-hexayurt/ so if anyone is interested in learning more go check it out.
Kent
Doh, sorry, I posted before searching the history on this blog. Kent, this really is an awesome site you’ve got going. I converted and lived in a short school bus for two years in my dad’s backyard after highschool. Up until the code enforcement officer started to hassle me it was wonderful. Reading this blog has reinspired me. Thanks.
zach1235@yahoo.com
No problem Zach, I appreciate you keeping your eyes open. Please let me know if you spot anything else and thanks for the kind words about the blog.
Kent
Regarding Elizabeth’s question about retrofitting house trailers to be more energy efficient, I’m pretty sure I saw work on this in The Strawbale House. The trailer is essentially “wrapped” in straw bales – very low-tech and inexpensive- and becomes highly energy efficient. The exterior is treated like any other straw bale house. There’s more to it, of course, but that’s basically it. The library should have a copy of this book, which is a classic.