Homelessness

Videos

Fox News segment Libby Weaver and Ron Zapolo

Shake table in motion in lab at CSU

Short slide show with my son Mike and Michele

Principal Engineer [narrator] Dr. John Van de Lindt from CSU
Civil Engineering

Having shelter is a basic necessity of life. Most of us can’t imagine what life would be like without a home to shield us from the elements.
 
Unfortunately, suffering from homelessness or living in inferior housing are not unusual in Indonesia. A “Perfect Storm” of disasters has exposed millions of people to blazing temperatures, rain and wind. The tsunami disaster of 2004 wiped out 21,659 homes and the Mount Merapi earthquake in 2005 flattened over 4,000 homes. Of the 5,800 lives lost in the earthquake, many were crushed in their poorly built houses or were hit by heavy roof tiles that shook loose. Earthquakes are common in Indonesia and deaths like these occur far too often.

Because of a housing backlog, the current
demand for safe and affordable housing can easily top 4 million.
 
 

IAF'S Innovative Construction Methods
 
IAF has developed an improved
construction method for rapidly building mass quantities of earthquake-proof housing. The concept is to build houses on a factory assembly line. This speeds up the process from the typical 3-4 weeks to build a house to the ability to build 4 houses in a single day.
 
The houses are built using specialized steel forms that can set up and then released from the concrete quickly, along with rebar reinforced “early strong” cement that sets up rapidly. Several inputs are added to the concrete to add to its strength, including fly ash, petrochemical byproducts, and limestone—all of which are readily available in Indonesia. The total capital cost to set up a factory is USD $100,000.

The design of the house (at right - Rumah
Gempah) features a steep roof with wide
overhangs that are practical for heavy winds and rain and is similar to the typical Indonesian style of house.

A collaborative process...

 
IAF is currently collaborating with the Indonesia Ministry of Public works to establish relationships, create infrastructure and provide homeowner loans for house construction.
 
Prospective owners will contribute sweat equity during the construction of the house and will secure a loan for buying it. It’s important that homeowners have a stake in the building process and feel the pride of ownership.

 When construction in the factory is completed, the house is delivered by tractor trailer to a site that has been prepared to specifications and quality inspected.
 
Our goal is to build each house for USD $1,000. Costs of the house are kept low, so that more Indonesians have access to the safety and security of these homes.
 
The cost of the factory operations are covered by the home price and by INSAH receiving tax credits and rate breaks through the sponsorship of the Indonesian government.

17 Million Refugees Need Housing Immediately

There is such an overwhelming need for housing in Indonesia. Factories must be built as soon as possible so that Indonesian families can have shelter.
 
A handout does more harm than good in the long run, and that’s why we ask for the homeowners to pay for the home as well as work in the factory during the construction of their house.
 
IAF is planning to collaborate and cooperate with the Indonesian government to set up and operate the factories. As much as we hope to gain from the government and other aid entities, individual donations are still essential to ensure the work of IAF flourishes and grows and to pay for factory capital costs.
 
Will you consider helping with this pressing need? To get involved click here.