Texas woman, 70, spent $150,000 of her retirement savings to build an all-women tiny-home community; 500 women are now waiting to move in

For many women, divorce, a breakup, widowhood or single parenthood can bring an uncomfortable reality: the home they once shared may no longer be theirs, while finding affordable housing later in life can be incredibly difficult.

That was the problem Robyn Yerian wanted to address.

The 70-year-old Texas woman invested roughly $150,000 from her retirement savings to create The Bird’s Nest, a women-only tiny-home community on five acres in Cumby, Texas, about an hour northeast of Dallas. Today, 11 women live there, sharing not just a place to live but also companionship, meals, errands and everyday support.


And the demand has been enormous. More than 500 women are reportedly on the waiting list for a spot.

A retirement plan that became a community

Yerian opened The Bird’s Nest in 2022 after realizing that her retirement savings alone might not provide the financial security she needed for the years ahead.

A single empty-nester, she had already embraced tiny-home living herself. In 2016, after watching Tiny House Nation, she moved into a small two-bedroom home and began thinking differently about what she actually needed from a house.

The idea eventually evolved into something bigger.

Yerian had initially considered using another piece of land as a source of passive income. But as she watched housing costs rise around Dallas, she saw an opportunity to create an affordable place where older women could live independently without being completely alone.

“I just took a leap of faith,” she told People, describing her decision to put her savings into the land and construction.

That leap became The Bird’s Nest.

Rent starts at $450 a month

The community sits on concrete pads where residents can park an RV or place their own tiny home. Monthly rent starts at just $450, reportedly around half the typical rate in Cumby.

But affordability isn't the only attraction.

The gated community has two simple rules: no men and no drama.

Residents have access to fire pits, yoga sessions, book clubs, a private swimming pool and shared outdoor spaces. An outdoor pavilion serves as a communal kitchen and gathering place where residents regularly meet.

Yerian has also made the social side of the community a priority.

“We are a bunch of really great friends,” she told Metro UK, describing the community as a “little utopia” where residents gather regularly and dogs roam around the property.

How an idea for older adults became women-only

The Bird’s Nest wasn't originally designed exclusively for women.

Yerian initially advertised the community to people over 55. But after hosting a workshop where she taught a group of women how to use power tools, she began considering a different approach.

She noticed that many people living in tiny homes on fixed incomes were retired women looking for a less expensive way to live.

The concept gradually shifted.

“It’s all women. It just kind of evolved that way,” Yerian explained in a CBS Texas interview.

She has said she never intended to deliberately exclude men. Instead, she saw the community as an opportunity to empower women and create a support network at a stage of life when many people can become socially isolated.

Building it wasn't easy

Creating the community required more than buying land and putting tiny homes on it.

Tiny homes face restrictions in many parts of the US, so Yerian searched for unincorporated property outside Dallas. She eventually had the land zoned as an RV park, allowing her to create the kind of community she envisioned.

“Getting zoned was the hardest part,” she told Realtor.com.

The women who eventually moved in are generally between 60 and 80 years old. Many are single, divorced or widowed.

And Yerian is selective about who joins.

Potential residents first speak with her by phone. If things seem like a good fit, they are invited to spend several days at the community before deciding whether they want to move there.

Each plot comes with its own deck as well as a landscaped garden.

“I spend a lot of time vetting people,” Yerian explained, saying she is looking for someone who is caring and genuinely wants to participate in a community.

That careful approach is part of how she tries to protect the atmosphere she has created.

“I won’t put up with drama, pettiness, talking behind people’s backs – we don’t do that here,” she said. “If we have an issue, we will say something.”

The real attraction is the sisterhood

For residents, The Bird’s Nest is about much more than cheap rent.

“It is literally a sisterhood,” resident Donna Welborn told a broadcaster, explaining that she hadn't expected the women to become so close.

That closeness becomes especially important when someone is sick or needs help.

When resident Cheryl Huff underwent heart surgery, her neighbors were there to help her through the recovery. The women share meals, provide rides, run errands and look out for one another.

“There’s somebody there that’s gonna help you out,” Huff said.

It is a simple idea, but one that can make a significant difference for older people living alone.

Why affordable housing for older women matters

The Bird’s Nest has attracted attention at a time when women often reach retirement with fewer financial resources than men.

A Goldman Sachs report cited in coverage of the community found that 28% of retired American women have less than $50,000 in savings.

That makes the combination of affordable housing and built-in social support particularly compelling.

Yerian has said she has no plans to increase the community's $450 starting rent, despite the growing demand.

More than 500 women are waiting for a place, while only 11 currently live at The Bird’s Nest.

For the women already there, however, the community represents something more permanent than an inexpensive place to park a tiny home.

Many residents have sold their previous houses and purchased tiny homes specifically to move there.

A different idea of what “home” can mean

Yerian says she would not change the life she has created.

The women who have moved to The Bird’s Nest have come from different parts of Texas, met the residents and decided they wanted to become part of the community.

“This is our final home; we won’t be going back,” Yerian said. “We hope to keep each other’s company for as long as we can.”

In a country where aging alone can mean confronting rising housing costs and increasing isolation, The Bird’s Nest offers a strikingly simple alternative: smaller homes, lower costs and a community of women willing to look out for one another.

Yerian started with five acres and a leap of faith. What she built was something much harder to put a price on — a place where retirement doesn't necessarily have to mean living alone.