The Full Story
Who We Are
Today, hundreds of thousands of college students are experiencing
homelessness in colleges across America. We are facing a national
student housing emergency. Students experiencing homelessness need a
access to housing and opportunity to empower and support them through college. That is why we created HERD, offering a rapidly deployable housing solution that addresses this crisis at a speed and scale desperately needed
when futures are hanging in the balance. Our student housing units
offer an immediate answer.
Problem
Community colleges provide motivated students with life-changing opportunities, but too many students are forced to drop out due to lack of affordable housing and access to resources. One in five community college students is homeless and over half have food insecurity. Enrollment falls, in part, because housing costs are too high.
Solution
HERD has innovated modular housing units constructed in a manufacturing plant assembly line complete with all interior finishes, electrical, plumbing and mechanical fixtures and appliances. These 2 bedroom, 2 bath units provide full kitchens and can be deployed in months, not years, at a cost of 50% of conventional construction. The community college market in California includes 116 campuses, most of which have land available for student housing. HERD's prototype village containing 120 units in 3 story buildings will accommodate 480 beds at a capital cost of $75,000 each and can be deployed in 12 months.
Affordable Housing
HERD has reverse engineered the cost to the students to be affordable with the Pell Grant. Monthly cost will be $700 for double occupancy bedrooms or $1,100 for single occupancy.
HERD believes this model will scale rapidly throughout community colleges in the state.