Mar 22, 2009: EDAR

[xoxoxoBruce]

EDAR stands for "Everyone Deserves a Roof"
It's a cross between a shopping cart and a pop-up camper.

The EDAR is the brainchild of Peter Samuelson, a philanthropist and film producer whose credits include "Revenge of the Nerds" and "Arlington Road." His father, Sydney, founded Samuelson Film Service, a supplier of film and TV equipment, and in 1995 was knighted for his service to the British film industry.

Peter Samuelson went to Cambridge University on a full scholarship, earned a master's degree in English literature and became fluent in French. He started in the film business as an interpreter for U.S. companies operating in Africa and Europe. In 1975, after living off and on in Los Angeles, he settled here permanently, married an accountant and had four children.

Samuelson is an old hand at charity;

In 1990, he brought together director Steven Spielberg and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, among others, to create the Starbright Foundation, which develops software and other products to help children cope with the medical, emotional and social challenges of their illnesses. In 2004, Starlight and Starbright merged to become the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. Another Samuelson charity, First Star, advocates for abused and neglected children.

Here's Samuelson sitting on an EDAR, in a rather pristine setting.



He sponsored a design contest, had several sizes built, in variations that even have pockets for collected cans/bottles.
He had them tested for ruggedness, and critiqued by a bunch of experts and laymen, before settling on the final product.
He figures manufacturing them in large quantities will bring the cost under $500, so they could be used not only for street homeless, but around the world at refugee centers and for disaster relief.
A Los Angeles women's shelter is using them indoors for women with small children.

Here's an EDAR actually in use, in a more natural setting.



All is not sweetness and light, however... there are questions.

Meanwhile, lawyers are sorting out legal issues. Will municipal codes allow users to park their units anywhere? What about constitutional questions and not-in-my-backyard complaints?

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Irvine School of Law, said police fear the units could constitute dwellings where inhabitants would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. In that scenario, police would need warrants to search EDARs, which could become havens for drug use or prostitution. Chemerinsky maintains that cities could allow the units in designated public places as long as users consented to be searched, much like travelers entering an airport.

LA Times

[newtimer]

You know what would make good, easily-portable dwellings for homeless people? Big prams.

[SPUCK]

$500!!!! That's absurd.

Just another government money drain.

[TheMercenary]

They could just make them out of see through plastic to remove the fears of the police search and seziure laws. That would sort of defeat the purpose.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by SPUCK

$500!!!! That's absurd.

Just another government money drain.

Uh, not the government, charity.

[capnhowdy]

Here lately, It looks like the government IS a charity.

[Diaphone Jim]

While it might be more difficult to travel with, the culvert section in the background would provide much greater protection from various falling and projected objects. Remember Skylab.

[Cloud]

loads better than a cardboard box

[monster]

Right, but.... you can get a basic 2-person dome tent from Walmart for about 30 bucks. What in the hell makes it SO expensive to produce a one-person pop-up?

And the thing is..... much as I appreciate the sentiment..... the one thing I have learned since I've moved to the US is this: In the US, people don't appreciate stuff if it's free. Make them work for it or pay half or just something and they'll take good care of whatever they're getting. I understand this is harder with the homeless, they have less to give, but for an investement of this nature, I would suggest the charity involved doesn't just pass them out willy nilly.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by monster

Right, but.... you can get a basic 2-person dome tent from Walmart for about 30 bucks. What in the hell makes it SO expensive to produce a one-person pop-up?

And the thing is..... much as I appreciate the sentiment..... the one thing I have learned since I've moved to the US is this: In the US, people don't appreciate stuff if it's free. Make them work for it or pay half or just something and they'll take good care of whatever they're getting. I understand this is harder with the homeless, they have less to give, but for an investement of this nature, I would suggest the charity involved doesn't just pass them out willy nilly.

Goes along with the general attitude in this country of not caring how much it costs as long as someone else is paying for it.

[jinx]

Yes, what monster said...

[lumberjim]

the fucking cock smoker in the picture should have his kneecaps broken.

for shame! and they tout his charitable works.....i wonder how much he made off the charity of people sympathetic to 'the children' in his previous ventures.

here's a scumbag we can all hate

under $500 indeed

[jinx]

IKEA could get this done for $50.

[Beestie]

And who is going to assemble the thing? Can you see the average bag lady reading the translated Chinese instructions in four point font with all the pipes, hooks, screws and bungees next to her with a flashlight in her mouth.

"...insert for to pipe B1a to slot G37 then to hook grommet to for bungee attach pipe C1b to ground. For to enjoy"

[classicman]

mmmm - "for to enjoy"