Our Founding (2016 Facebook Post)
Outside our far west loop office there is a group of people who live at times under viaducts and act as rapid recyclers of anything not tied down. They collect wooden pallets from the meat packing businesses and scrap metal from workshops and factories.
We put out some scrap metal pieces today and sure enough. That thing probably weighs 150 lbs and is worth maybe $7 to the man. Third World Chicago.
You see this every day, in this area as these guys are ambitious. Maybe someone really smart will explain this to me. In the mean time I will admire the human spirit.
Urban-Camp Builds Systems to Help People Living on the Street Build Better Lives
We are a group of engineers, architects, and designers who set out to design the smallest possible code compliant dwelling for a person living on the street.
Our expertise in energy efficient micro mechanical and electrical systems was applied to the innovative design of the simple living space. The systems are flexible to allow for installation in undeveloped or re-purposed urban locations.
Toughness is built-in to the architectural systems to allow for independent open to the street settings, allowing for reduced operating costs and reinforcing the independent nature of many homeless people.
Urban-Camp is organized as a non-profit, with 501(c)(3) status. Our business is specific to solutions for homeless people living on the street.
Here is a Powerpoint Presentation for an Urban Camp Overview