Our Vision
Our vision is creating new types of housing for all: from those without a roof over their head, to renters that are overburdened by rising costs, to our entire community who can live better together.
Our Approach
By building a demonstration microshelter, we are showing whats possible with the tools we have available today. We aim to reform restrictive zoning and building codes—including permanent foundation mandates, traditional framing rules, and strict limits on units per lot—that create artificial barriers and worsen our housing shortage.
At the same time, we recognize that building long-term housing takes time, and our unhoused neighbors need safe and legal options today, especially in the gaps we have today such as space for families, pets, disabilities, and more that block access to current shelter and transitional housing options. In conjunction with our microshelter initiative, we are championing safe parking, motor home, tiny house, and regulated camping ordinances. By allowing overnight resting in spaces like religious or business parking lots, private driveways, and managed rest-stop programs, with permission from property owners, we can create humane, accountable interim solutions that provide stability, basic sanitation, and community safety while people transition into better homes.
New Types of Housing are Needed.
Here is a view of what's possible when a community tries new kinds of housing and participatory community structure:
Materials for demonstration hut
The Project's Progress So Far
Oshkosh Tool Library (OTL) awarded $5,000 to consult with Community Supported Shelters.
To address the need for affordable housing, we need to disrupt the types of housing we’re building and governmental policies that prevent alternatives. We'll use this grant to receive consultancy from CSS, who have experience building 154 shelters in their community and providing plans in 46 states and 9 countries. Their ‘conestoga huts’ cost around $3,500 per unit—orders of magnitude less than current housing options. Our primary objectives: create a strategy to influence micro-shelter policies in Winnebago County and build relationships for funding/locations.
OTL organizers met with CCS leaders to discuss engaging in a consulting relationship. This includes conestoga hut plans, hut templates, their policies and procedures for reference, and 6 total hours of consulting help.
OTL organizers completed the CCS Readiness Assessment and started forming our organizing team and building this website.
Secured a donated trailer to build a conestoga hut. These huts are 6 feet wide and 10 feet long inside, with a 2-foot porch extension. We'll use this to show city officials and local residents the nice curb appeal and zoning-worthy design.
A faith community has agreed to host the demonstration conestoga hut on their property! We also received our first $250 donation for materials.
Help Fund the Rest
We have recieved the conestoga hut building manual and cutting templates from CCS and we're continuing work gathering materials!
Workshop 1: Building the Floor
Neighbors kicked off the build phase with Workshop 1, assembling the materials and setting up the base of the demonstration Conestoga hut.
Workshop 2: Framing the walls
Continuing on to the walls, we framed the end caps to the conestoga hut which will have a lockable door and an opening rear window.
Workshop 3: Building the walls and deck
Continuing the walls, we cut interior and exterior panels, insulated framing, and attached panels. Due to over 10 volunteers during this workshop, we also got the floor painted and the front deck built!
Let's Build the First Demonstration Hut
A local faith community has agreed to host a demonstration conestoga hut on their property to help Oshkosh see the potential of new kinds of housing! We've secured a donated trailer and our first $250 for materials.
Now we need your help to cross the finish line. Your donation directly funds the materials needed to build this prototype and shows we have the all the tools we need in our community
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