PROJECT CENTAUR — THE LODGE FOUNDING MEMBER SPECIFICATION

To: Frontline Outreach Teams, Case Managers, and Community Allies

From: The Advisors of Project Centaur

Subject: Referral Guidelines for Foundational Community Members

Project Centaur is launching its initial Lodge Pilot—a decentralized network of modular, independent living units built on mobile frameworks. We provide a sovereign, lockable door, immediate safety, and a lifetime path away from institutional dependency.

We are not a traditional charity or real estate development. The only common “ownership” in Project Centaur is a mutual promise to build, sustain, and grow the Community. The land we occupy and the physical structures we use may change over time, but the Community itself remains unbroken. We are a voluntary, self-governing cooperative. To survive and scale, our residents cannot be passive “clients”—they must be Founding Builders.

Please utilize the criteria below to refer candidates who are ready to transition from survival mode to collective sovereignty.

I. Core Admission Criteria: The “Shin-Gi-Tai” Matrix

We look for candidates who demonstrate readiness across three foundational dimensions:

• Mind & Spirit (Shin): The Covenant Mindset
  • Rejects the passive “client” dynamic; actively desires autonomy and self-determination.
  • Understands that membership is tied to a mutual promise to the group, not a specific piece of dirt or a building.
  • Possesses the emotional maturity to participate in peaceful, peer-led conflict resolution.
• Technique & Skill (Gi): Practical Capability
  • Note: Candidates do not need to be master tradespeople, but they must possess a willingness to work and learn.
  • Preference for individuals with basic mechanical, construction, landscaping, culinary, or logistical skills.
  • Willingness to manage off-grid systems (solar arrays, 12-volt battery banks) or assist in maintaining centralized infrastructure.
• Body & Action (Tai): Physical & Financial Reciprocity
  • Has the physical stamina to participate in the manual assembly of their own modular unit and upkeep shared communal areas.
  • Financial Contribution: We recognize that fixed, limited incomes (SSI, disability, part-time work) prohibit members from securing traditional private rentals. However, to achieve a completely self-sustaining Community, members commit to contributing a portion of their income to a shared pool, helping offset the operational costs funded by others.

II. Infrastructure Evolution: Tactical to Permanent

• Phase 1 (Tactical): Initial units operate as off-grid, mobile backyard structures utilizing independent solar power and self-contained sanitation to bypass bureaucratic bottlenecks.
• Phase 2 (Permanent): As the community scales and pool funds grow, Project Centaur envisions transitioning to land with a dedicated, fully plumbed and wired central shower/restroom facility to completely eliminate the regulatory and logistical hurdles of composting systems. At this stage, the trailer units function as private bedrooms surrounding a permanent infrastructure hub.

III. Critical Disqualifiers for the Founding Phase

To ensure the safety of the initial micro-community and protect the integrity of a self-governed layout, we cannot accept individuals currently experiencing:

• Acute, untreated severe mental illness that prevents rational, voluntary cooperative agreement.
• Active, destabilizing substance addiction that impairs baseline safety or manual labor participation.
• A recent history of violent offenses or predatory behavior.

IV. The Onboarding Dialogue (What to tell the Candidate)

When presenting Project Centaur to a potential referral, please use this explicit framing to set expectations:

“This is not a temporary shelter program, and there is no ticking clock forcing you back onto the street. It is a cooperative neighborhood. The location and the cabins might change or upgrade over time, but the community stays together. They will provide the framework, the lumber, and a locking door, but you will build the walls yourself alongside your peers. You will contribute your labor to maintain the grounds, and a manageable portion of your income to keep the community self-sustaining. If you are looking for a place to carry your bags for you, this isn’t it. If you are ready to use your hands and your resources to build mutual freedom, they are waiting for you.”

V. Next Steps for Referral

If you have an individual who meets these specifications, do not submit a clinical intake form. Instead, contact a Project Centaur Lodge Advisor to arrange an informal, peer-to-peer introductory conversation.