IKEA donates first tiny home to support healing for homeless seniors

Big problems and tiny homes.According to Fast Company, that’s the latest message from IKEA, which has just finished its first-of-its-kind tiny home designed for people who have experienced homelessness.Back in May, the Swedish home goods retailer announced plans to give back in a new way.

Instead of directing donations to a non-profit, the company decided to use its expertise to lean into an area in dire need of refurbishing — housing, and more specifically, affordable housing.San Antonio is one of many U.S.cities that has seen a steady increase in homelessness since the pandemic. In 2023, over 3,100 people were counted as experiencing homelessness, according to the San Antonio Point-In-Time Council.

RELATED: This unusual collapsible prefab home can cost you $35K — and it’s available on AmazonIKEA saw an opportunity at San Antonio’s Towne Twin Village, a permanent supportive housing community that is being built for seniors who have been living in encampments, have experienced at least a year of homelessness, or have disabilities or suffer from chronic illnesses.The retailer teamed up with a local architecture firm, WestEast Design Group’s Social Impact Studio, with a lofty goal in mind: to construct a sustainable tiny home that fosters healing and reduces the risk of re-traumatization for its inhabitants.

“A home is more than a physical space; it’s where we are able to find comfort, peace, and a sense of belonging,” Sam Eisenman, Sustainability Business Partner at IKEA U.S., said in a press release earlier this year.The company tested the first Small Home prototype at the IKEA Live Oak location, where residents were able to come in and share their feedback for what they wanted in a home to feel safe, and secure.

Employees were also trained on the design principles and how to apply them while maintaining a person-centered, empathy-led approach throughout the design process. “It’s crucial that we as IKEA do our part to create environmen...