At 70, She Spent $150,000 to Build a Tiny Home Community. Now, Older Women Have an Affordable Place to Live—and a Community to Call Home

• 3:18 pm August 20, 2026
• Yashvi

At 70, Robyn Yerian used $150,000 from her 401(k) to create an unusual tiny home community for women in Texas. What started as a plan for passive income became something much more meaningful: a place where older women can find friendship, support, and a sense of belonging.

She Created a Community for Older Women

In 2022, Robyn Yerian founded The Bird’s Nest, an all-women tiny home community on five acres in Cumby, Texas. The community has 14 concrete pads, with each space renting for $450 a month. Today, 11 women between the ages of 60 and 80 live there, most of them single, divorced, or widowed.

It Became More Than an Affordable Place to Live

The women at The Bird’s Nest have built a close community where they look out for one another. They share meals, run errands together, and check on each other when someone is sick. They also spend time at a community pavilion, talking and enjoying each other’s company. The community follows an informal “no drama” philosophy focused on respect, connection, and creating a peaceful place where everyone feels welcome.

More Than 500 Women Have Applied

More than 500 people have applied for the 14 available spots, showing the strong demand for this kind of community. Yerian originally wanted to create a source of passive income after downsizing to her own tiny home. But she soon realized many older women on fixed incomes also face loneliness and isolation. The Bird’s Nest became her way of giving women not just an affordable home, but also friendship, support, and a place where they belong.