Workman Elvis Summers spends his free time building 20ft tiny homes for homeless people – and the compact creations manage to squeeze in a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
A deeply empathetic person who feels other people’s emotions as if they were his own, he takes pride in knowing that he’s giving those experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles a bed for the night.
‘To feel the relief, joy and hope that people feel is ultra rewarding. It fills my batteries right up,’ the 47-year-old Californian shares.
‘It’s an amazing experience and I wish everyone could get on board.’
What started as a simple mission to help a 61-year-old woman named Smokie has now become The Tiny House Project.
At the time, she was ‘sleeping in the dirt’ near Elvis’s flat – and so he wanted to help her out of her situation.
‘I did it because it’s the right thing to do. It’s what we should do,’ Elvis’s mission statement on the project’s website reads.
‘We have more than enough resources in the world to solve the hunger and homeless crisis. The problem is that people just don’t care or don’t care enough.’
Smokie was well-loved in their local neighbourhood, but Elvis notes that despite everybody liking her, not enough was done to help her out.
The mini house he built her – the first one he ever constructed – cost just $500 (£400).
He placed it in front of his apartment and knew that after witnessing her reaction to it, this couldn’t be the only person he helped in his life. And so, The Tiny House Project was born.
‘She slept for a day-and-a-half straight because for the first time, she actually felt safe,’ Elvis notes.
Though he hasn’t kept exact track of everything he’s built since then, he estimates it to be in the ‘hundreds.’ Mostly, people ‘break down and cry’ after witnessing the fruits of Elvis’s kindness – something he describes as a highly ‘emotional experience.’
‘It’s very unsafe on the streets, with your guard always up, and to sleep in unknown areas without shelter, not knowing what might happen, is a horrible place to be,’ he says.
‘To give someone a safe place where they won’t have to worry about possibly dying almost overwhelms people. There’s lots of gratitude and hugs.’
Typically, the tiny homes are built on trailers to keep them mobile – but once stable, they’re secured on foundations or blocks.
Inside, he ensures there’s everything needed to accommodate a wide range of guests – from one-night stays to a long-term one.
It can take anywhere from a mere few days to a couple of weeks to finalise a project. To avoid the homes being seized by authorities on account of ‘hazards,’ as was the case in 2023, he now builds two types of homes.
The first is an emergency shelter, which is a simple, secure room without running water or electricity, while the others are full-sized tiny homes with multiple rooms that can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 (£5,000 to £12,000) to build.
All the money is raised completely from donations, but recently, as the cost of materials has increased, the demand to build tiny homes is only getting harder to combat. In Elvis’s view, this is why it’s so important that other people get involved too.
‘Even if I was launched forward with millions of dollars, and we could hire a solid crew, we wouldn’t be able to keep up,’ he reflects.
‘It’s going to take many groups, doing it the right way, and a whole lot of change in our society’s way of thinking to end homelessness.’
Because of the limited funds, Elvis is only able to build the homes in his spare time – as he has to work since there isn’t enough money for him to pay himself a salary.
More Trending
However, this is something he’d like to achieve in the future so that he can build more homes – and ultimately, help more people in Los Angeles.
‘Like everything in society these days, the reaction is very much down the middle. Some people love it, and others hate it,’ he adds.
‘But I think the more people keep falling on troubled times, the more understanding there will be that it’s out of our control. Things are becoming quite unaffordable for most – and therefore, homelessness will only keep rising.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: I bought a house with my partner — but when we broke up, he refused to sell
MORE: All the favourites to sing next James Bond theme song – including a UK pop princess
MORE: London’s cheapest place to rent revealed — but it might not be for long
