DURHAM, N.C. — Tiny homes are popping up all across the United States, and while they are trendy, they could also be used for another purpose: a solution to affordable housing.

Topher Thomas of Durham spent the beginning of the pandemic building a tiny home in his backyard.

It took five months for the City of Durham to approve his plans, but once it did, he completed the build in just one month.

The tiny home is 120 square feet, fit with a loft bed, couch, kitchen, shower, and toilet. Thomas originally thought it would just be a fun project to work on, but then he realized that it could be used to help solve the affordable housing crisis.

“A big part of it was the pandemic. I was just hearing stories of people, as different sections of the city are being gentrified and more investors are buying up properties and property values are going up, were just unable to afford their rent. People were unable to afford the homes they were living in. I was like, well, you know, 'I have this space in my backyard and I want to do this thing, why not make it affordable and have it be something for that purpose,'” Thomas says.

Thomas has been renting out his tiny home since August, and he says he’d like to see more tiny homes pop up around the state.