We throw a lot of things away. We get tired of how an old desk or dresser or chair looks, and we replace it with something shiny and new. Sometimes we’ll sell or give away the old items, but other times they just end up going in the dumpster, especially if they’re broken.
But a dresser with a broken drawer has a lot of reusable material. An old cupboard door or window can be recycled into something functional as well. Old carpet may not be the prettiest, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless.
California artist Gregory Kloehn is one person that realized just how much many of us throw out—and discovered a fantastic way to put it all to use. Instead of letting reusable materials go to the dump, Kloehn began salvaging materials and building tiny homes out of them.
Based out of Oakland, Kloehn wanted to do something to help address the problem of homelessness in his community. Called the Homeless Homes Project, these tiny abodes provide some of life’s simplest—but most essential—comforts: shelter, privacy, and a feeling of safety. Finding more permanent shelter is a constant struggle for the homeless in large part because of a huge cost barrier. Because Kloehn’s homes are made from mostly salvaged materials, though, they are incredibly low-cost.
“I was inspired to take these same materials back to my shop and put them together in a more permanent fashon,” Kloehn says. “After about a week of collecting and building, I had a 21st century hunter/gather home, built from the discarded fruits of the urban jungle.
“This sat at my studio for a number of months, just collecting dust. One rainy night, Charlene, a homeless woman I’ve known for some 10 years, asked if I had a tarp for her. I told her I didn’t have one and I went back inside. As I walked past the home, it hit me, I should give her this. I ran back out and told her to come back tomorrow and I would have a home for her. She and her husband Oscar came back the next day. I handed them a set of keys and a bottle of champagne and watched them push it down the street. It felt so good that I started making another one that same day.”
What’s more, Kloehn doesn’t just slap some materials together and call it a day. The homes are well constructed, often brightly colored, and can include windows, pallets, bed frames, and even shelves. They have wheels for ease of movement (a big necessity) and provide storage and privacy with doors that lock.
Photo: Homeless Homes Project
Photo: Homeless Homes Project
Image: Homeless Homes Project
These adorable homes are reminiscent of the tiny house movement that has sparked in recent years, taking the money out of the picture and simply providing what’s necessary—not to mention the positive environmental impact that comes from using salvaged materials.
Be sure to check out the Homeless Homes Project to see more photos of this incredible work – and maybe even donate if you have the means.