Community Supported Shelters helps the unhoused stabilize and rebuild through intentional community. Our model is low-cost and helps hundreds of people transform their lives each year in Lane County, Oregon and beyond.
Conestoga Huts
Simple
Conestoga Huts, created by Community Supported Shelters in 2013, are designed to provide basic shelter and security for unhoused individuals. Thanks to their durability, they are now used by organizations across the country.
Compact
Each Hut has a bed, window, covered porch, storage bin, and solar-powered light, in a 6’ x 14‘ x 8’ space, keeping individuals dry and safe.
Cost-Effective
The average cost to build a Conestoga Hut is $3,500. We often build them from recycled materials.
Safe Spot Communities
Low Barrier
These intentional communities support individuals who may have no other shelter options, including those with a pet, criminal record, no ID, substance abuse disorder, etc.
Step Toward Housing
Clients often aspire toward goals like housing, sobriety, employment, and improved quality of life. We connect them to resources that help them transform their lives.
Basic Needs
Our shelter model provides unhoused individuals with essential needs, including: safety, food, water, hygiene, and human connection. This transitory step to better circumstances spans from 3 months to 2 years.
Consulting
We'll help you develop a pragmatic and successful approach to sheltering your unhoused neighbors.
You: a municipal or state government, nonprofit, or faith group that wants to solve homelessness in your community.
Us: an innovative nonprofit that, for ten years, has been helping people get off the streets and transition to a better life.
Hut Manual
This manual presents step-by-step instructions on how to build a Conestoga Hut. With photos and illustrations, it guides you through the tools and materials you’ll need, how to build the five components of a Hut in a shop ahead of time, and how to assemble the components at the build site. The manual also explains how community volunteers can be engaged in the building process, one of the most rewarding aspects of the Conestoga Hut experience.
Support Us
Your support provides shelter and hope for a better tomorrow. No amount is too small to give. $20 can make a real difference in the lives of unhoused individuals—it can fund an Outreach Kit, which provides someone in need with water, snacks, and hygiene supplies.
