Gulf Coast Supply and Manufacturing has recently shipped 30 International Relief Homes to Youth With A Mission in Haiti. The homes can be assembled in less than a day by an experienced crew once the foundations have been poured. The home can be assemble on packed dirt, pavers or a concrete pad. In Haiti, where they are prone to hurricanes, they should hopefully use a poured concrete foundation, with the anchor system set-up to withstand hurricane force winds.
The homes are 15 x 18 feet, with two rooms, one door, two windows, two skylights and a guttering system to collect rain water. The homes only cost about $2000 USD each and Gulf Coast is gearing up to produce more of the homes to meet the current need in Haiti for housing.
If you check out the YWAM Haiti website (www.ywamhaiti.org) the video describes how YWAM is in the process of planning and building tent cities to accommodate the refugees who no longer have homes. It’ll be interesting to see how they fit these new kit homes into the plan.
The best way I have to describe the home is akin to an oversized backyard metal shed. I’ve seen many sheds in Australia converted to offices, retreats and bed-rooms, so it looks to me like a similar conversion. I know that the sheds in Australia can be built to withstand cyclone force winds, so I reckon they have done the same thing with these relief homes.
You can read more about the Gulfcoast Relief Homes here.
