Gregory Kloehn goes dumpster diving, but not for the reason that most people would think. He isnt homeless. In fact, he is an artist from Oakland that is trying to help the homeless and develop his craft at the same time. Instead of building sculptures that he would sell to rich people to add to their massive homes, he decided to focus his efforts
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A homeless woman he knows well, Wonder, raves about what he does.
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Hes thought about starting classes, teaching others how to make them. A lot of people who hear about what Im doing want to get involved, he said. Maybe we meet someplace and put a couple homes together.
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However, he doesn't intend to stop building any time soon.
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He cant build houses for all of Oaklands homeless.
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Someone could use it and it would change their life.
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He then realized it was a home that this man could use.
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All Gregory had was a tiny wooden frame he was working on, equipped with a built-in kitchen, water tank and a small trap for human waste.
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One day, a homeless man came by his studio asking for a tarp.
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At first he was just building tiny homes to sell.
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Even when they dont have a conventional house to work with.
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His focus seems to be on helping them build homes
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He published a book titled Homeless Architecture.
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The small shelter Gregory built for her was the best house shes had in 5 years.
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Gregory digs through illegally dumped trash and goes dumpster diving.
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Since he focused on housing, Gregory knows what he creates is being used.
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But peddling his creations got old.
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At first, as an artist, he made sculptures.
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The foundation he usually uses are discarded wooden pallets.
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They also have wheels, so their owners will be able to wheel them around if they need to.
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Each of the homes are built with a pitched roof, so rain will run right off of them.
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But, something that small can mean the world to someone living on the streets.
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The little homeless homes are about the size of the sofa.
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Not only from the media, but from the people he helps as well.
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And his homelessness project is getting attention.
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He uses what he collects to build small, one room shelters for the homeless.
