Classy pod homes for Australia's homeless

Antenly Tiny House with expansive glass elements

S.A Tiny Home Expo

The NSW government agreed to set up 58 pod homes for 2022 flood survivors in Brunswick Heads, homes to be available for key workers. They also promised to deliver 350+ new Social Housing properties in the Northern Rivers over a few years. Byron's mayor said a feasibility study would be completed to examine how best offer the housing and decide who’d be eligible. Teachers, police and other key workers looking to move into the Byron Shire would be offered accommodation in pods, originally built for flood survivors.

Byron's Mayor believed the homes for key workers was great news. They really needed a home as soon as possible; when many people that were homeless, they had to deliver long term affordable housing options quickly and not let this expensive resource to go to waste.

Interior view of single pod

Studio Nine Architects and Treehouse 3D 

Pod with 2 bedrooms, 

Instagram

NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson wanted Regional Councils to follow Byron's lead, to a future for everyone of those pods. The offer was still available for other Councils if they want to revisit it. Tweed Shire Council had earlier rejected an offer for a similar plan at its Kingscliff pod village, but the councillors could still rethink it. The move was announced as the NSW government unveiled plans for a historic pipeline of housing which included 35+ social housing to be built across the Northern Rivers by mid 2027.

The Tweed Shire will get 133 new homes, Richmond Valley will receive 69, while Lismore, Ballina and the Clarence Valley will get c50 each. It is actually the largest housing run in any part of regional NSW, so there’ll be more homes in this region than in the rest of the state. The state government announced it would transform a former Tweed Heads retirement village into 70 supported housing units, already bought under its Housing Innovation Fund.

Elderly couples who were verging on homelessness found they had to move out of their rental home of 30 years, until space was found in a temporary accommodation facility. If the couples were on a pension, they could not afford to rent a place for c$900/week. NSW Premier Chris Minns said innovative projects were crucial in a region with 4,100+ people on the social housing waiting list, including 1,200+ on the priority list.

Theresa Mitchell manager of homelessness outreach service Agape, said 133 new social housing properties in the Tweed was nothing compared to the number of homeless people. Some clients recently entered social housing after 21 years on the waiting list! It is clearly not going to solve the problem; it's not even going to halve the problem. Breaking the cycle of homelessness by providing real change through an innovative, sustainable and integrated housing solution, in a community. There is a current shortage of affordable housing for in Australians experiencing homelessness.

Forage Built is a social enterprise and partnership made between S9 Director Andrew Steele, Forage Supply Co founders Scott Rogasch and Justin Westhoff, Zoe Steele of Otello and Tim Pearce of Frame Creative. Aiming to have the smallest impact on the environment, and biggest impact on the community the group united to break the home-lessness cycle. The Calyx Project aims to fight homelessness, creating villages where needy people can find safe accommodation and a sense of community.

The Cupitt's Estate, Ulladulla NSW.
Prefabulous

Pod villages were set up across the Northern Rivers after the 2022 floods,  

ABC News

The solution begins with the design of the Calyx-16 by Andrew Steele: a 16sq m, safe, affordable, transportable, energy efficient and eco-friendly dwelling. Unlike past solutions such as the temporary use of motels, the Calyx-16 concept promotes a protective layer around a core, creating its own protective haven around the occupant, to sleep safely and to store belongings.

Each pod has a kitchenette-living room, porch, ensuite and storage space - compact and dignified. The pod design includes all materials that are recycled, cost-effective, carbon neutral and robust. The Calyx-16 can be configured in multiple ways eg additional family sleeping quarters and living space.

porch and sunchairs

Forage Calyx 16

City Mag

Using white externally was environmentally sound due to its solar reflection, standing out in an urban setting and symbolising new beginnings. The interior is unexpected, generous in space and successful in achieving a homely feeling. The Calyx homes are not designed to exist in isolation but are placed in a community in a larger village. To successfully pilot the first village and succeed in the overarching vision, 5 ingredients are needed:

1. a socially conscious developer or landowner,
2. a financier,
3. services provider,
4. management by a non-for-profit housing provider and
5. employment opportunities by a social enterprise.

The team ran an extensive consultation and survey process, speaking to the intended clients, to know how they would best use the space and interact in the village. Collaboration with the Council was also required re how any social impact might be managed. A village will include a cluster of pods, with the agency placing people into homes in cohorts, to manage social risks. One pod is allocated to a case worker to reside onsite and provide 24 hour support to the residents, and managed by the non-for-profits. This allows residents to safely: form a community, access services, skills training and transition back into permanent housing, and the workforce through employment with an aligned company. The goal is to help people sustain long term housing with this skill development, ending repeated homelessness.

A larger communal pod will be located in the centre of the site, housing a kitchen, laundry, space for events and skill workshops. Utilising S9 and Forage Built’s network, in-kind donations, financial contributions & strategic partnerships have been crucial, resulting in the model pod construction. Awareness campaigns enable the community, individuals and businesses to become involved.

Through community partnerships, the prototype pod has been displayed at Tasting Australia, Fringe Festival, Rundle Mall and IKEA, supporting the enterprise’s sustainability.

A flood recovery pod village in Brunswick Heads Byron Shire
ABC News

I would happily live in a pod if I was alone, but it would have to have a front garden with a couple of trees, small lawn and flowers.