Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi

Could more villages of ‘tiny homes’ in the US help to address our homelessness and housing affordability crisis? Yetimoni Kpeebi is a Ph.D student of Geography at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) and an urban planning scholar who explores tiny house villages as a means for addressing issues of homelessness and housing access. Kpeebi’s work and research are guided by his current advisor Dr. Michelle Zuñiga (UNCC), and it is also informed by the work of his past advisors, Dr. Krista Evans (Missouri State University) and Prof. Owusu Amponsah (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology). I had the chance to pose some questions to Yetimoni about his efforts, and here are some of his responses.

What inspired your interest in tiny house villages for the homeless?

My main inspiration came from the work of my graduate studies advisor, Dr. Krista Evans. When I first arrived in the United States from Ghana, I was struck by how widespread homelessness is here, with apparently more than half a million people lacking shelter on any given night. As a graduate student in Missouri, I updated an existing database that Dr. Evans created in 2019 to collect data about tiny house villages for the homeless in the United States, adding new categories and creating a more user-friendly GIS interface. Dr. Evans and I recently published about some of this work (GeoJournal, January 2025).

In Ghana, observing how informal housing fills critical gaps raised my awareness of how self-help and community-driven housing can be viable approaches to addressing housing needs. This shapes my interest in tiny house villages and their potential to help the homeless.

What strikes you about the tiny house villages that you have studied?

It strikes me that the sheer number of tiny house villages for the homeless in the United States seems to have increased significantly since 2019 — as far as I am aware, up from approximately 34 to 123 in 2025. It’s also interesting to me that quite a few of these villages allow residents to have pets. This factor alone might make tiny house villages a good solution for many who are homeless and have pets for companionship or support.

Additionally, a significant number of villages are funded at least in part by private donations from foundations or individuals. Expanding public funding could potentially bolster the impact of these and other efforts. It’s also important to address restrictive zoning policies that can limit (if not criminalize) the building and operation of tiny house villages for the homeless in some areas of the U.S.

Is it fair to think about tiny house villages as a “transitional” or even emergency housing for the homeless? Or should we be thinking about them as possibly a longer-term approach?

While some have critiqued these villages as being a short-term fix, tiny house villages can provide essential longer-term services for the homeless such as ongoing mental health support, which is often vital. Additionally, many tiny house villages are designed for longer-term residency and could offer more permanent housing for at least some residents.

Has anything else surprised you in researching homelessness and housing affordability issues in the U.S.?

I am surprised by the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling (City of Grants Pass v. Johnson) which allows cities to penalize individuals for sleeping in public spaces. To me, this seems to be aimed at “cleansing” urban areas of visible homelessness, but I believe such approaches may exacerbate homelessness issues. The focus should be on increasing affordable housing, not on criminalization. I have also been surprised to learn how many barriers exist to implementing innovative housing solutions such as tiny house villages. Zoning laws, neighborhood opposition, and limited public funding all can create significant challenges.

Are there aspects of urban planning and development in Ghana that you think more people in the U.S. should be more aware of? 

Ghana's experiences show that when self-help housing is supported by targeted policies — such as providing basic infrastructure or secure land tenure — informal housing can contribute to urban resilience and expand access to affordable housing. In the U.S., such approaches are largely constrained by zoning laws, building codes, and financial systems. A re-thinking of regulatory frameworks to allow for safe and adequate incremental, self-build housing could provide more affordable housing options for some communities.

If you were to design a tiny house village somewhere in Ghana, how might it differ from those in the U.S.? What might it have in common?

In Ghana, communal living is deeply valued, so a tiny house village there would likely emphasize shared spaces like central courtyards, outdoor cooking areas, and gardens. With Ghana’s warmer climate, tiny homes would need to be constructed using materials and designs that maximize natural cooling and ventilation, such as sloped roofs. Sustainable materials (such as bamboo or adobe) could likely be used. Individual structures might incorporate elements of traditional Ghanaian architecture, such as earthy tones and textured facades. Like tiny house villages in the U.S., the primary goal would ideally be affordability and simplicity, offering people a supportive community environment as well as accessible, manageable living space with essential amenities. Ideally, it would be connected to local social services, health care, and job training and even have space within the village for workshops and other community activities.

Is your academic work in North Carolina at all shaped by recent weather-related disasters in your region?

Weather-related disasters are likely to be central to my Ph.D dissertation, as I currently aim to explore how such disasters can shape homelessness in the U.S.

Are there examples from U.S. history that you think could inspire new or different approaches to housing?

As one example, in the 1970s cities such as New York launched homesteading programs to encourage residents to rehabilitate abandoned properties through sweat equity. More recently, Housing First programs in the U.S. have shifted towards providing immediate, permanent housing without preconditions. Building from these two particular efforts could inspire different approaches to housing in the U.S., ones that embrace housing as a fundamental right while also making better use of vacant buildings and lands.

What advice would you give to a student interested in tiny house villages or issues of housing affordability and homelessness?

Understanding context is crucial, so students should seek readings and case studies about historical and contemporary housing models, in order to better understand how different policies have shaped housing outcomes over time. If possible, students should get involved with local organizations addressing homelessness or housing challenges. Volunteering or interning with nonprofits, attending city planning meetings, or connecting with advocacy groups could further help students to gain insight into some of the complexities of housing and the real-life impacts of policy decisions.

Imagine your life twenty years from now. What do you hope will have changed?  What do you hope to be celebrating?

In twenty years, I hope for a society where housing is universally recognized as a fundamental right, and homelessness is not merely managed but effectively eradicated through comprehensive support systems. I hope to see the implementation of inclusive housing policies that cater to diverse needs. Personally, I aspire to contribute to reshaping housing policies in order to promote equity and sustainability, and also to bridge academic research and urban planning practice. Professionally, I aim to influence housing frameworks globally to in order to accommodate informality and self-build models where appropriate, while also advocating for homelessness policies that prioritize support over punishment.

Is there anything else that you would like to add or share?

My interest in housing and homelessness isn’t limited to academic research—it’s a personal commitment to finding practical, compassionate solutions to some of the most pressing issues people face. I believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and I’m dedicated to exploring innovative ways to make that a reality.

I’m also grateful for the support of my current advisor and past advisors, who have encouraged me to push boundaries with my research. It has reinforced my conviction that, with the right policies and a commitment to equity, we can create housing systems that work for everyone.

Yetimoni Kpeebi is a Ph.D student of Geography at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) and an urban planning scholar who explores tiny house villages as a means for addressing issues of homelessness and housing access.



Mark Tirpak is an adjunct faculty member of Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs, as well as a guest instructor assisting Prof. Tom Sanchez at Texas A&M, College of Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning. Mark also serves as a member of the American Planning Association’s Trend Scouting Foresight Community.