(510) 383-1983
(510) 383-1983
9235 San Leandro St. Oakland, CA 94603

The ReUse People of America

We reduce the solid waste stream and change the way the built environment is renewed by salvaging building materials and distributing them for reuse.

The ReUse People is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

About Us

Since 1993

Since 1993, architects, contractors, building owners and federal, state, and local governments have relied on TRP to keep reusable and recyclable building materials out of overburdened landfills. When a building is de-constructed (rather than demolished), up to 80 percent of the materials can be salvaged and channeled back into the marketplace through donations and sales at TRP’s network of retail outlets.

The ReUse People
4,000 +
Houses Deconstructed for Reusable Materials
Materials from over 4,000 houses and other buildings have been acquired and distributed by TRP to salvage reusable materials. This has prevented vast amounts of building materials from ending up in landfills.
400,000+
Tons of Waste Diverted From Landfills
TRP has diverted over 400,000 tons of reusable materials from landfills, helping to reduce our footprint on the planet as well as provide repurposed materials for construction.
500 +
Workers and Contractors 
Trained
TRP has trained and certified over 500 unemployed, underemployed, and disadvantaged workers, as well as over 70 contractors who in turn create needed construction jobs.
The ReUse People Deconstruction Worker

Our Services

What We Do
TRP offers the following green services and products:
  •  Building materials donation and deconstruction options
  •  Building materials collection
  •  Building materials distribution
  •  Great deals on reclaimed building materials and lumber
  •  Project management
  •  Training
  •  Consulting services
  •  Reuse and recycling plans
deconstruction servicesMany contractors offer this environmentally friendly option over demolition, with benefits to the building owner, the community, and local landfills.
TRP Retail salesTRP sells quality building materials, including lumber, cabinets, toilets, sinks, doors, windows, appliances and more at great prices while helping the environment.
deconstruction trainingTRP offers training programs designed to meet the needs of those interested in preserving resources and diverting reusable materials from the solid waste stream.
View Partial List of Clients

President's Blog

Latest TRP News

Your Decision Makes a Difference

Nov 29, 2023
As a Regional Manager for The Reuse People (TRP), I help to fulfill the organization’s mission to reduce building-materials waste, an involvement that stems from my interest in the varied benefits of building-materials reuse, and in my enthusiasm for improving local communities and the environment. Having your home remodeled, or torn down, for a rebuild […]
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The Evolution of Contemporary Deconstruction

Feb 21, 2023
In my distant days as a partner within Creative Business Strategies, I focused on raising money for entrepreneurs and developing new technical and scientific breakthroughs, including silicon chip manufacturing, machine learning software and robotics. Today, technology has passed me by so quickly that I struggle trying to permanently increase the font size of my Outlook […]
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Building for Deconstruction: Three Things to Avoid

Jan 20, 2023
While preparing to write January’s Velvet Crowbar, I decided to do some internet research. When I conducted a Google search on Design for Disassembly, the first full page of references included the titles, “Design for Disassembly and the Environment,” “Design for Disassembly and Deconstruction: Challenges and Opportunities,” “Design for Disassembly: Themes and Principles,” “Design for […]
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Michigan Boosts TRP Footprint in the Midwest

Dec 14, 2022
Several years ago TRP made an invited foray into Chicago, establishing The ReUse People of Illinois. Within a few years that office became a leader among our 12 regional locations, thanks largely to Illinois Regional Manager Ken Ortiz, who also currently serves as TRP board chairman. TRP has now begun a second venture into the […]
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The Promise of Commercial Deconstruction Revisited

Aug 26, 2022
Six months have passed since I wrote about the importance of commercial deconstruction and materials salvage, in an earlier e-letter. Since then, developments in this arena have been explosive. February and March: At the request of StopWaste.org and the San Francisco Department of Environment, TRP participated in a study concerning the viability of creating a […]
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More on Deconstruction Ordinances and Bylaws

Jul 06, 2022
Earlier this month I was invited to the historic town of Victoria to give two workshops for a range of people tasked with implementing the city’s newly passed Deconstruction Bylaw. Audiences included building, demolition and deconstruction contractors, house movers, city personnel involved in the bylaw’s oversight, receivers and distributors of salvaged building materials and construction […]
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