Our vision is creating new types of housing for all from those without a roof over their head, to renters that are overburdened by rising costs, to our entire community who can live better together in community.
To address this need for affordable housing, we need to disrupt the types of housing we’re building and the governmental policies that would prevent such alternatives. We will use funds from this gofundme to buld a Conestoga Hut.
Progress so far:
- December 2025 - Oshkosh Tool Library (OTL) awarded $5000 to consult with Community Supported Shelters
- January 2026 - OTL organizers met with CCS leaders to discuss engaging in a consulting relationship that would include conestoga hut plans, hut templates, their policies and procedures for reference, and 6 total hours of consulting help.
- February 2026 - OTL organizers completed CCS Readiness Assessment and started forming organizing team and this website: makeavillage.neocities.org
- Early April 2026 - Secured a donated trailer to build a conestoga hut.
- Late April 2026 - A faith community has agreed to host the demonstration conestoga hut on their property to help the community see new kinds of housing!
Pioneered by the nonprofit Community Supported Shelters, who have experience building 154 shelters/beds in their community and have provided plans or consultancy for shelters in over 46 states and 9 countries, Conestoga Huts cost orders of magnitude less than current housing options. Our primary objective is to influence policies to allow micro-shelters dwellings in Winnebago County. Currently, there are minimum square footage laws for housing that prohibit such small shelters, despite the distinct need.
Oshkosh Tool Library’s mission is aligned with this effort to create and foster community empowerment and we are well equipped to address this problem with the tools and space to build conestoga huts. Our existing connections with unhoused individuals built through bike repair tool use, mutual aid events, and prototype shelters will enable poignant collaboration.
Your contributions will go directly to buying materials to build the first conestoga hut in Winnebago County! Any funds in excess of our goal will be spent on furnishings, solar power, additional conestoga huts, and/or resources for unhoused people.