Women In History
At 70 years old, Robyn Yerian from Texas made a decision that would change dozens of lives.
She took about $150,000 of her retirement savings and built something special: a women-centered tiny home community called The Bird's Nest.
The story begins in 2016 when Robyn, living in Dallas, watched an episode of "Tiny House Nation." She was facing retirement and realized she needed to drastically cut her living expenses. The tiny home lifestyle caught her attention.
In 2017, she moved into someone else's tiny home village in Decatur, Texas, paying $450 a month for her lot. She lived there in her own tiny home, learning how the model worked.
But Robyn started reading articles about making passive income in retirement. A friend who worked in finance encouraged her to buy land she could someday rent out.
The idea grew into something bigger.
In 2022, Robyn withdrew $35,000 from her 401(k) and bought five acres of land near Cumby, Texas—a small town about 60 miles northeast of Dallas.
The land had no electricity. No running water. It needed excavation and a new septic system.
Robyn invested another $100,000 developing the property. She created 14 concrete pads—each 10 by 30 feet—with full hookups: electricity, water, septic. Just like an RV park, but designed as something more.
In 2022, she moved her tiny home from Decatur to Cumby.
Initially, she opened the community to anyone over 55. She called it The Bird's Nest.
But then something unexpected happened.
Robyn hosted a workshop teaching women how to use power tools to maintain their tiny homes. About 20 women attended.
One night, they all sat around the fire pit together.
The conversation turned to what this place could become. Someone floated the idea: What if this was a women-only community?
The women loved it.
"It was all by accident," Robyn later said. "I didn't start out wanting to empower women—it evolved."
She quickly realized something important: "Eighty-five to 90% of the people living in tiny homes are retired women on a budget, on a fixed income. And so I knew the audience would be big."
The Bird's Nest became an all-women community.
Today, 11 women call it home. They range in age from 33 to 78, though most are between 60 and 80 years old. They come from all different backgrounds, from all across the country. Some are single. Some divorced. Some widowed.
They each rent their concrete pad for $450 a month.
On that pad, they can park their RV or build their own tiny home. The rent includes water, access to a storm shelter, and shared amenities like a community center, a pool, a fire pit, and what they call "the party pad" where residents gather for cookouts.
The entire community sits on 2.5 acres (Robyn kept the rest of the five acres undeveloped). It's completely fenced and gated. Every resident has a clicker to open the gate.
Each woman has her own space—her own deck, her own garden with flowers and landscaping. Privacy and independence.
But they also have each other.
"We drive each other to doctor's appointments if needed," Robyn explains. "We look in on each other if someone has the flu or surgery. We are each other's therapists and sounding board."
They cook and eat meals together. They meet most evenings for cocktails to catch up about their day. They have book club. They garden together. They help each other with home repairs, sharing tools like a community shovel.
They have nine dogs between them who run happily through the yards.
One resident, Cheryl, had a knee replacement about two months after moving in. "Everybody pitched in and helped," she says. "Not everybody has to have the same thing, and I think that's another good thing about The Bird's Nest."
The women come from diverse backgrounds. Their politics, sexualities, ages, religions—they span the spectrum. Some have been married and divorced; others have never married.
But they all share a commitment to one another and to the community's guiding principles: mental wellness, non-judgment, connection, and helping hands.
There aren't many formal rules. But there's one unofficial rule that Robyn does enforce: "No drama."
As the community's website puts it: "This community is female owned, developed and operated. It is dedicated to women empowering women along their journey. We encourage, help, console and laugh with each other. There is no 'you're doing it wrong' or 'that won't work' here."
Many women contacted Robyn needing somewhere safe to go—to escape abusive situations, or because they were recently divorced and needed affordable housing.
Robyn tells every person who comes: "I'm never going to raise the rent, and I mean it. I've even offered reduced prices to a couple of women that were in bad financial situations. I believe that's how you build a community—showing others they can count on you and you on them."
Getting into The Bird's Nest is competitive.
Currently, there's one opening available. And Robyn says she has about 500 people who want that last spot.
The vetting process is rigorous but informal. Prospective residents must call Robyn first for a phone conversation. Then they're invited to Texas to spend a few days at The Bird's Nest, meeting Robyn and all the current residents in person.
"Many of my tenants flew in for the process," Robyn notes.
The visit isn't just about seeing the place. It's about finding the right fit. People living at The Bird's Nest must be self-sufficient enough to stand on their own, but eager to support the other members of the community.
"We all run the community together," Robyn says. "I don't make the rules—it is their home too."
The women describe the atmosphere as "a college dorm for older people."
For Robyn, the goal goes beyond just providing affordable housing.
"My goal is really to keep people out of nursing homes," she told The New York Times.
And the model seems designed to do exactly that.
"If someone gets to the point where they can't move around too much, we're ready to jump in and help to a certain extent," Robyn explains. "We have home health care here that can come out like three times a week. We're going to do whatever we can to enable people to stay here as long as they possibly can."
Women can live comfortably at The Bird's Nest on a modest income—perhaps $20,000 to $30,000 a year.
Robyn had a simple dream. She wanted women to grow older with dignity, not loneliness.
"I didn't quite realize how many women are struggling in retirement," she says. "So now, I am always thinking of ways I can encourage women."
The need is clear.
According to government data, 43% of women over 75 live alone. Twenty-seven percent of women ages 65 to 74 live alone.
The majority—80%—of people who live alone after age 65 are divorced or widowed.
Around 10% of Americans age 65 and older live below the official poverty line. Using the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which accounts for medical expenses and other factors, that number rises to 14%.
Women are disproportionately affected. The poverty rate for older women is 10.1% to 11.2%, compared to 7.6% to 9% for men.
According to AARP data, 64% of American women ages 50 to 64 who are not retired and not married have less than $50,000 in retirement savings. A Goldman Sachs report found that 28% of retired women have less than $50,000 in savings.
Women's Social Security payouts are, on average, 20% less than men's.
For women facing retirement with limited resources, isolation, and the prospect of living alone, communities like The Bird's Nest offer both financial relief and social connection.
The residents of The Bird's Nest don't seem to want to fly far from home. They've found something precious: independence without loneliness, affordability without sacrifice, companionship without losing autonomy.
"This is our final home," one resident says. "We won't be going back. We hope to keep each other company for as long as we can."
Robyn hopes others will replicate the model.
"I have encouraged others to just go for it," she says. "Quit saving that little bit of money and invest in a community. You will not get rich doing this, but it is a nice little cushion, and the sense of community is everything."
As America's population ages—with the number of people 65 and older projected to grow from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050—the need for affordable, community-based housing will only intensify.
Poverty and loneliness are both linked to shorter lifespans. Communities like The Bird's Nest offer a solution: mutual aid, shared resources, genuine connection.
At The Bird's Nest, women learn power tools to maintain their homes. They share meals around the fire pit. They celebrate birthdays together. They drive each other to appointments. They look after each other during illness.
They've created something that's becoming increasingly rare: a place where people know each other, support each other, and age together with dignity.
Robyn Yerian took $150,000 and transformed it into something money alone could never buy: a community where women who might otherwise face old age alone instead face it together.
Sometimes the best investment is not money.
It is connection, courage, and care.
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Valerie Peavey
I got to talk with her ! She is inspiring! I am in the beginning stages of building my tiny home community! In Galena Kansas just off route 66!
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Marie E Smith
I have been dreaming about this for years… I wonder how many other communities like this are out there!
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Elle Alva
Can we do this for 40-50s? lol I’ll sign up
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Sylvia Donaldson
If it was created with as “small” an amount as$150k, this is very doable in lots of cities. I’m sure it depends on the location, cost of living, etc., but it’s definitely something to pray about. I’d love to speak with her.
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Gretchen Godshall Rockwell
Women working together is very powerful magic. I love this and hope we see more of these communities across the US.
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Cecilia Guerrero Aguilar
I love this idea LaDawn Haglund for those if us who dont have kids!!! We can take care of each other
8h
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Terry Maguire Klausmeier
Would love to learn more about this; I think it is very much something that we need, whether it be men or women.
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Keri Lawson
So she built the Shire for woman?
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Kay Zee
I wonder if they all get along or if it's like middle school on steroids
8h
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Krystal Monroe
Kylie Luttrell we were just talking about these type of historical communities in Europe over the last two centuries.
Then this popped up!
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Pam Banning
Brilliant. A Golden Girls community!
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Carol Kasser
I’d be interested if it wasn’t in Texas. Anyone want to do this in a liberal state?
9h
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Gretchen May Kingham Evans
Becky, you need to sell
everything and start a Louisiana version of this!
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Sony Trieu
love this. she built community and that is powerful work, while filling a much needed area.
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J Lee
I’m moving there
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Nina Theresa
I LOVE This Idea & was just talking to a friend about starting a tiny village 💜
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Jennifer Hagan
I would be interested in a multigenerational community. There are young people aging out of foster homes that need elders to help them with the transition to adulthood.
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Glen Royles
Living with gratitude ladies within a community of contribution for a lifetime supporting your families. Well deserved 💐
As a 60 yr old Aussie gent my small contribution ATM is just sharing 3 of my 4 bedroom home in Sydney. Once I retire I have the similar vision . Potentially in NSW Australia 🇦🇺
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Melissa Mahoney
We need these countrywide.
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