Homes for Hope was created by USC School of Architecture students during the Fall 2016 semester. The course, called The Homeless Studio, was funded by the Martin Architecture and Design Workshop (MADWORKSHOP) and led by MADWORKSHOP director Sofia Borges and board member R. Scott Mitchell.

The founders of MADWORKSHOP, David and Mary Martin, wanted to empower students to do something about the homelessness situation, starting in Los Angeles.

Homes for Hope uses modular, transitional stabilization housing to assemble pop-up villages. It is currently in the initial fundraising stage.

“All of the focus is towards permanent supportive housing, which is important, but it’s not an either/or, or and/or but. We need both. We need something to happen right away, and we need to have something happen in the long term.” — Sofia Borges, MADWORKSHOP director