Minivan Conversion

   Bob Wells started a blog around 2008 explaining how to live cheaply in an RV, van, or car. So many people had lost everything in the stock market crash and were looking for answers so it didn’t take long for him to gather a following. The CRVL forum (now vanliving)gave everyone a place to exchange information and offer encouragement. The establishment of the forum was followed quickly by the RTR gatherings in the desert near Quartzsite Arizona.

   From the very beginning it was apparent that many people needed help – sometimes financial, sometimes educational, and sometimes emotional. The educational help is fairly easy, the emotional help is a bit tougher and the financial help is complicated. Gofundme or personal donations can only go so far. This led to the founding of HOWA or Homes on Wheels Alliance  which was established in August 2018. HOWA will supply vehicles, training, and support to people in need. There will be a fairly rigorous application process to determine whether the program is suitable for the applicant because helping them make a successful transition into vandwelling is a top priority.

    After nine months of hard work by Bob, Suanne Carlson, and their team, HOWA is ready to start their first van build! Tony and I are camped in the Oregon forest with a group of volunteers who will be brainstorming and building a minivan into a comfortable home on wheels. We don’t know what that will involve but I think the aim is to design a very simple build with a cot and plastic bins and then design and build a more sophisticated model. Videos and documentation will allow van builders across the country build similar minivan homes.

   Making a minivan into a comfortable home sounds almost impossible but many people have done it. My favorite is this guy -  Eric Enjoys Earth

  I’ll be posting updates as the van build progresses. We may be here for month or more.

Leaving the Forest

  The van build is finished and it turned out great! All of the applications will be evaluated and, hopefully by the end of July, a  minivan home owner chosen.

   Over the last week, new shocks were installed, a few mechanical problems were fixed, the mattress was cut down and the cover refitted, and all of the donated items were loaded into the van. A video of the completed van should be appearing on the CheapRVliving YouTube channel soon.

   I’ve been working on documentation of the build which will be provided to teams who want to build a minivan conversion for HOWA. If all goes according to plan there will be groups across the country building minivan homes.  Applications can be found Here.

   We’ve said goodbye to all of our friends and fellow volunteers and left our pretty camp spot in the forest. On the road again!

Minivan Giveaway and HOWA’s 1st Birthday!

  Home on Wheels Alliance was established just a year ago and has already done a lot for nomads who hit a rough spot and need some help and encouragement. The biggest project, the minivan giveaway, has been in the works for a while. After all of the time spent searching for the right van, building the interior into a compact home, and gathering information on the applicants, it was finally time to give the van away!  On August 28th the keys were turned over to Jolynn, a very deserving recipient, and everyone joined in the party. We couldn’t be there but it was recorded live on YouTube.

   HOWA volunteers will be building out several minivans in Pahrump, Arizona this fall. Volunteers and anyone who wants to apply for a minivan can find the information here: HOWA

Minivan Build Progress

  This is the beautiful forest setting where we’re helping build the minivan conversion along with a great group people who possess a multitude of skills in carpentry, solar installation, technical writing, and all around handiness.

   After the seats were pulled out it was easy to see that the limited space had to used wisely.

   A few days of work yielded a flat floor with easy to clean vinyl sheeting, a bed platform, a shelving unit that can be used in the interior and the exterior, and storage shelves across from the bed.

   Next on the list are new shock absorbers and the installation of a complete solar system.

   And we’re even official! ;-)

HOWA-Bring Your Own Vehicle

It's been so long since I posted! We've been camping in the desert above Pahrump, Nevada with a group of HOWA volunteers and recipients of the Bring Your Own Vehicle program. Our job title is camp host which means pitching in if anyone needs a hand and watching over the camp when people are away at the build site. Mostly we're just hanging out and socializing. :-D It's been fun getting to know all of the new nomads and catching up with old friends.

The Minivan Build Program is Homes On Wheels Alliance initial program, fulfilling a mission of supplying minivans to people who would almost certainly become homeless if they didn't receive some help. Between the summer of 2019 and the fall of  2021, HOWA granted vans to eighteen people. However the skyrocketing price of minivans has currently made the program unfeasible which led to the development of Bring Your Own Vehicle. This program is tailored to current nomads who cannot afford to upgrade their homes on wheels due to the expense of parts and installation. Nine nomadic recipients  are currently in the program. Some are getting almost full buildouts - insulation, floors, wall coverings, beds, shelves, vents with fans, and solar systems - others are getting simple additions such as floors or solar systems.

We've had several potluck dinners, a pancake breakfast, game nights, and nightly campfires. The weather has run the gamut from hot to cold, calm to windy, sunny to cloudy and the sunsets have been gorgeous.