Please join this group to support a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the homeless.

THE HUV PROJECT
http://www.TheHUVProject.org

Mission Statement

The HUV Project is an effort to both provide temporary and secure housing to homeless individuals alongside launching a campaign utilizing art to raise awareness and affect change in the way in which homelessness is viewed and approached. The HUV Project will produce and distribute HUV units to homeless individuals with the cooperation and support of non-profit organizations whose aim is to provide housing, safety, and support services to homeless individuals and will display HUV design units in galleries and venues showcasing art to challenge the public to think critically about the societal impact and effects of homelessness.

The Homeless Utility Vehicle (HUV) serves to elevate individuals facing homelessness from their current living conditions through providing a practical, yet private means of housing, while acting as a catalytic art form generating awareness and engaging the public in a national examination of the influences, effects, and potential interventions that may ultimately alter the long-standing housing inequities in America.

The HUV Project addresses the pressing issue of homelessness in America. The HUV not only provides a temporary housing solution for homeless individuals that is uniquely different than other types of transitional housing, but also calls into question society’s concept of shelter, thereby initiating a conversation about one of the most pervasive social issues faced in modern history.

The HUV seeks to increase autonomy for the homeless individual through providing a personal space enabling storage and a sense of privacy. The use of the HUV increases options by acting as an independent “home-base”. This increases mobility, but also offers the opportunity to elevate a homeless individual’s own self-perception. Homeless individuals face social stigma, are able to make few, if any, choices regarding their living situations; the HUV aims to offer an increased sense of independence which seeks to lessen negative self-perceptions, stimulate hope, and redefine how others view homelessness.


The Project:
I have designed a personal shelter in the form of a vehicle that can potentially be used by those experiencing homelessness. The vehicle is for the individual who has chosen not to take advantage of local community shelters. The vehicle is by no means a cure for homelessness but rather a transitional means of housing for those currently experiencing homelessness. With funding for the project, the mass production and distribution of the Homeless Utility Vehicle will be possible.

The Problem:
The decision to remain independent of housing initiatives creates a problem that deeply concerns me: a man or woman living on the streets with no shelter or heat source. The H.U.V is addressing the issue of worldwide homelessness, but more specifically the problematic lifestyle associated with not having a home. Currently an estimated 100 million people worldwide are homeless. It is time we implement changes to help alleviate this epidemic. The Homeless Utility Vehicle is a very real solution.

The Impact:
The HUV elevates the homeless from their current living situation by providing shelter from the elements and an increased level of security during both the day and night. The HUV acts as a tool for the homeless to transition themselves out of their current lifestyle and into a better one. There is no doubt that the lives of homeless people all over the world could be impacted positively from this project.

The Inspiration:
Through volunteering and fieldwork in numerous homeless communities within America it has become more then apparent that the homeless are a severely neglected and helpless section of the population. I realized it was time as a designer to help them in a tangible way. To learn more about the Homeless Utility Vehicle please check out the website: www.TheHUVProject.org (read less)

Please join this group to support a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the homeless.

THE HUV PROJECT
http://www.TheHUVProject.org

Mission Statement

The HUV Project is an effort to both provide temporary and secure housing to homeless individuals alongside launching a campaign utilizing art to raise awareness and affect change in the way in which homelessness is viewed and approached. The HUV Project will produce and distribute HUV units to homeless individuals with the... (read more)