People Magazine has a profile of a 70-year-old woman named Robyn (her last name wasn’t given) who lives in Cumby, Texas. After retiring, Robyn bought a tiny house in a tiny home community. It got her thinking about the possibility of creating her own tiny house community aimed at women who were looking for a second chance. So, she decided to invest some of her retirement savings into building 14 homes over five acres. Robyn’s community is called “The Bird’s Nest.” It’s geared towards women between ages 60 and 80, most of whom are single, divorced, or widowed.
“I bought a tiny house and lived in a tiny house community, and then decided, hey, I could do some passive income with my 401(k),” Robyn tells PEOPLE, describing the first spark of an idea that would soon take flight as The Bird’s Nest.
The Bird’s Nest now houses 11 women between the ages of 60 and 80, most of them single, divorced or widowed. Rent starts at $450 a month, but what they’re really buying is companionship and a built-in support system that’s rare to find in traditional retirement settings.
Robyn ultimately invested $150,000 from her 401(k) to build 14 tiny homes, a leap that would make most people pause. “I’m not a person that dwells on what ifs,” she notes. “I had the need, and I knew that the money in there would not help me in retirement… so I just took a leap of faith.”
Faith has since turned into a thriving neighborhood where mornings begin with coffee under a pavilion the residents call their “kitchen.” “I’m really the early riser, so I’m the first one up,” Robyn says. “I go out to our kitchen pavilion, have my coffee, let my dogs run… and there’s always a lot of work to do maintaining the property.”
Her days are spent mowing, cutting sunflowers and sharing meals, but evenings are sacred. “We all eventually gather in the evenings, every night, it seems,” Robyn says. “Just to touch base with everybody… see how their day went.”
That daily rhythm is anchored by a simple but powerful rule: no drama. “Anything that we have, you have to come out and discuss it,” Robyn explains. “We end the conversation with, ‘No feelings hurt. This is just my perspective.’ ”
The approach has created a culture of honesty and respect, where grievances are aired directly and relationships remain strong. “We have to respect each other, and we all do,” she says, her voice clear with conviction.
Demand for this kind of living has soared far beyond what Robyn imagined. Out of 14 pads, only one was left at the time of the interview — and more than 500 women were already on the waiting list. “It’s almost like a first-come, first-served that has all the boxes checked,” she says, admitting the selection process is still evolving.
For now, the community’s makeup feels just right. “The majority, 80 to 89 percent of tiny home dwellers are retired women,” Robyn observes. “That’s who this works for.”
And for those women, The Bird’s Nest offers more than just affordability — it offers a second family. They check in on each other when someone seems down, share lunches and laughter, and sit together in the fading Texas light.
“We are a community,” Robyn shares. “It’s all about women empowering women. We can’t knock women down. We have to embrace each other and take the extra step to be kind.”
As for the future, Robyn is honest about her uncertainty. “I hope that other people see all of this, all the buzz, and that they try to replicate and do one,” she says. “But when we are all gone, the original OGs… I don’t think it will be maintained, because I won’t be here.”
”I had the need, and I knew that the money in there would not help me in retirement… so I just took a leap of faith.” I needed to hear someone say something so selfless right now. The Bird’s Nest sounds like such a lovely idea. We’re living in such a polarized, electronic age that it’s caused some people to forget our humanity. I love that Robyn tries to facilitate that every woman there is respectful to one another despite their disagreements while providing a safe space for women who need one. I’m sure once her story gets out, bigger developers will try to recreate it, but you can’t really do that without having the personal touch of an owner who genuinely cares about people. I really hope that Robyn’s fears prove unfounded and that someone is able to continue it as her legacy after she’s gone.
Anyway, at the risk of sounding too nerdy, Robyn’s story gives me hope that all is not lost. Yes, we are living through some pretty terrible times and witnessing some awful human behavior, but I have to believe that at the end of the day, there are more of us good people than there are of the bad ones. They just have the louder voices. It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes, courtesy of The Lord of the Rings: “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
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I’m with you. This story gives me so much hope! Especially in Texas.
It sounds so awesome. Glad she’s able to create the community she wants. My friends and I have discussed something similar.
Love this!
Wonderful idea! She is making a real difference! My sister and I have been talking about buying a place together when her kids are adults (in about 5 years). A friend of mine may join us! I honestly love the idea of growing older with my sister and my bestie.
Hello from Canada! This article has made the rounds in a few group chats that I’m in and love this idea. All have their own space, but community is right there too. I’ve never heard that quote from LOTR (haven’t watched or read, don’t come for me!), but I love it and will remember it. Thanks Rosie and happy Friday!
I love the idea of it and hope it stays affordable…..as someone who works in nonprofits my entire career retirement savings are minimal and God knows what social security will look like when I can retire 10ish years.
Only downside is it seems SO remote; I used to have to drive that area and there’s just not a lot there.
@DaveW I took it out of the excerpted text, but Texas has a lot of rules that made it difficult for her to find land to build the homes on. She started closer to the city but had to go out further until she found land that met the requirements.
@Rosie – Thanks for that detail! I assumed the rural setting was what she could afford. I mean, she didn’t have millions to invest. I love an urban, walkable culture, but honestly this community sounds so great. I would love to be able to count on something like this in my twilight years, my own space but a community of like minded people.
This story is amazing! It gives my heart hope.
My MIL retired to a tiny house. It’s on the ranch of a long time friend in the Warner Mountains (NE California). She has a good car for bad weather and road trips and frequently drives down to visit SIL in Southern California and us in Northern Nevada. But she has her quiet and space in a very small town. She seems happy. But I think Robyn makes a good point that without her it will all fall apart. Positions of power tend to attract people who want power not necessarily responsibility.
I love tiny homes and I love this idea of community! In my wildest dreams I would live in a compound with closest friends and family. Bonus points for the all women community – tho I still have a husband so would be disqualified. My daughter and I stayed at an all women’s air BnB once and I loved the vibe.
I hope this becomes a thing in every state. My ideal scenario is the Golden girls. I am totally serious. I think this is a great answer for women seeking community, support anf companionship.
Wiser (and safer) to invest that money in a different state, IMO, but I can see why women in that age arena might find it harder to make dramatic moves. I do think this is the way more generations need to start looking at retirement, though, and I’m genuinely surprised more unmarried friends aren’t doing it already. The wealthy want us all at their mercy. If anything is going to survive and survive well, we’ll have to do it through small communities, building our own circle.