Imagine working your entire life, raising your kids, and still not being able to afford a stable, safe place to live. For thousands of low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities (including the blind), this is an everyday reality — especially with Section 8 waitlists stretching years and housing costs continuing to climb.

TINY8 is a grassroots housing project aiming to build 8 fully equipped, two-bedroom tiny homes in Richmond, California. These homes are not shelters or single-person micro units — they are real, modest homes meant to give families in need a chance to live with dignity.

The project is being led by a local Richmond resident, a former news photographer who spent over two decades covering housing, poverty, and justice. After seeing how broken the system was, he stopped filming — and started building.

How Your Donations Will Be Used

We’re asking for $1.25 million, and here’s exactly how that breaks down:

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️ Land Acquisition – $350,000

• Estimated cost of purchasing a legal, buildable lot in Richmond, CA

• Includes title transfer, survey fees, and city-required reports

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️ Tiny Home Construction – $160,000

• 8 two-bedroom homes at $20,000 each

• Built to code, weather-insulated, move-in ready

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Utility Core Construction – $50,000

• Central hub for water, gas, electrical, and septic/sewer systems

• Includes foundation, permitting, and installation

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Permits, Legal & Engineering Fees – $85,000

• City and county permits

• Soil tests, zoning review, site plan approvals

• Legal assistance and insurance

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️ Project Management & Labor Supervision – $75,000

• Managed by Andes Construction (supervising installation and site development)

• Includes licensed general contractor oversight

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Mobilization, Equipment & Site Prep – $90,000

• Land clearing, leveling, fencing, temporary facilities

• Equipment rentals, security during construction

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Furnishings & Appliances – $32,000

• $4,000 per home: stove, fridge, sink, heater, lighting, mattresses

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‍♂️ Local Jobs, Food & Support Labor – $30,000

• Hiring and feeding local workers during installation phase

• Community support and day labor stipends

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️ Unexpected Expenses & 10% Buffer – $125,000

• For cost fluctuations, material delays, or emergency permits

• GoFundMe fees also included here

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Total = $1,250,000

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What We’re Building

• 8 two-bedroom tiny homes for low-income families

• Rent capped at $1,000/month per unit

• Priority for seniors, people with disabilities, and the blind

• Connected to a central utility hub for efficiency

• Built in two phases: 4 homes first, 4 more after land and hub are complete

Protection for the Tiny8 Project:

The rent collected from the Tiny8 homes will be distributed responsibly — 60% will go toward ongoing maintenance, utilities, and administrative management of the community, while 40% will be saved to fund Phase 2, expanding the project with additional Section 8 homes for more families in need.

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This is a private, nonprofit initiative — no corporations, no developers, just a local entrepreneur trying to do something that matters. A detailed PDF business plan is available on request.

If you can’t donate, please share. The more eyes we reach, the closer we get to giving eight families a place to call home.