Building hope: One tiny home at a time

Image © Pee Wee Homes

Across Orange County in North Carolina, a group of neighbours came together with a shared vision:  to create affordable, tiny homes for, and with, people transitioning out of homelessness.
 
Inspired by the tiny house movement, they saw the potential of small, efficient spaces to offer independence and sustainability – all within reach of people with fixed incomes, as well as older residents and people earning minimum wage. Their vision became Pee Wee Homes – a local initiative that sought to respond to the shortage of affordable housing in Orange County. These small independent houses range from 24 to 37 square metres in size (approximately 260 to 400 square feet) and are built out of sustainably sourced materials. Nestled throughout the neighbourhood on small lots of available land, they are creatively designed to maximise space.
 
The organisation’s name honours Nathaniel “Pee Wee” Lee, a skilled brick mason who, although he had helped construct Chapel Hill several decades ago, ironically had nowhere to live himself. Following a stroke in 1995, he temporarily lost the ability to walk and speak, and was unable to work. He experienced homelessness for most of a decade. Only in later years, Pee Wee found stability in a studio apartment – one of the very few affordable homes in the community on his fixed income of USD 750 per month.
 
Although Pee Wee passed away in August 2025, his memory lives on. “Pee Wee’s legacy lives on in every new home we build, resident we support, and in each donation, volunteer, and life transformed through our work,” says Alyssa Pacheco, administrative and communications specialist from Pee Wee Homes.

And today, Pee Wee Homes offers much more than housing – it partners with local faith groups, not-for profit organisations, and residents of Orange County, to build networks of support. This wrap-around care offers people transitioning out of homelessness the opportunity to regain a sense of stability in their lives, and to live with dignity, surrounded by community.
 
In addition, Pee Wee Homes residents pay no more than 30 per cent of their income for rent, with part of that going into an equity-building deposit. These savings provide renters with a safety net in case of emergency, or to help future transitions to their next home. In addition, rental payments cover maintenance costs, helping to ensure that homes remain safe and high-quality places to live. “Living in Pee Wee Homes has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me,” says Mr Marion “Smalls” Warren, a PeeWee Homes resident. “I have loved my home, this community, and the support from Pee Wee Homes.”[1]
 
Oak supports Pee Wee Homes through a grant from our Special Interest Programme to the Center for Community Self-Help, which provides the space and flexibility to support a diverse range of partners around the world, reflecting the interest of Oak’s Trustees. Watch the PeeWee Homes video here.

[1] Homes – Pee Wee Homes