Durango's tiny home villages redefine affordable mountain living
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DURANGO, Colo. — “I'll wake up and come out here, have coffee, and just take in the views,” said Tedd Rohwer while sitting on his tiny home porch, gazing at the San Juan Mountains and open sky.
His words capture the spirit of a movement reshaping affordable housing in many mountain towns — a movement where less really is more.
Tiny home communities are blooming across town. Durango now has three tiny home villages, offering a total of 113 spots. Two additional communities exist elsewhere in La Plata County. Spots fill quickly, and some villages receive two or three requests per week.
Most residents in tiny home villages bring their own structure to the lot, similar to how mobile home communities operate. However, some villages offer homes to rent.
For many residents, tiny home living isn’t a compromise but a deliberate lifestyle choice. Kevin Martin works remotely from his 272‑square‑foot tiny home in Island Cove, a 15‑acre mobile and tiny home village with 69 spots located one mile from downtown Durango and just behind the Animas River.
He left the corporate grind of Seattle to embrace a simpler life for his family. Martin recalled paying $3,000 a month for a house in Washington, which left little room for travel.
In 2017, Martin and his family built a tiny home and hit the road, traveling from Seattle to San Diego. “It gave us the freedom to travel but also feel like we were at home,” he said.
A year later, after arriving in Durango, he learned that the city council was altering building codes to allow more affordable housing and opportunities for tiny home communities. He decided to stay.
As of 2023, Colorado has more than 3,000 tiny homes. The state implemented a law that year officially reclassifying tiny homes as full-time residences (previously, they were considered seasonal residences like campers or RVs). The small-scale structures have become an increasingly popular option as home prices climb in Colorado.
Martin has two young children who live with him part-time. Despite the limited square footage, the kids have their own room with space for building Legos.
“I want to teach kids to be happy with what they have. Less is more,” he said.
“We're more intentional about what we have. When they're done with it, we give it away and we sell it. It’s been a pretty cool experience to watch them grow through it and evolve with it.”
Retiree Tedd Rohwer and his partner Denise Rohwer offered another take on tiny home living. After 27 years working in Albuquerque, Tedd returned to his Durango roots, drawn by the small‑town vibe and outdoor lifestyle.
They initially considered purchasing a house or condo in Durango. However, they worried the high prices would delay their retirement plans. They opted for a tiny home instead. The couple now lives in a 400‑square‑foot home in Hermosa Orchards Village, just outside Durango.
Depending on the material and design, a 400‑square‑foot tiny home can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000. It remains a bargain compared to 2024’s median home prices of $928,500 in Durango and $675,827 in La Plata County.
“If you work until you're in your 60s or 70s, you don't have the health left to do what you really wanted to do. And so being able to kind of get out of that rat race and do what you want to do when you can was a big key for me and my wife,” said Tedd Rohwer.
Downsizing from a larger home was a big adjustment. “But it worked. Surprisingly well. We have everything we need here,” he said.
Denise Rohwer’s favorite thing about their tiny home is that they do less cleaning.
With only 22 spots in the village — and with everyone as a homeowner; no subletting allowed — a strong sense of community prevails.
“I really like the community a lot. I don't do a whole lot of socializing, but I feel like if I needed to call someone, they're around,” Denise Rohwer said.
Although demand for tiny home villages is rising, building one isn’t easy.
Christopher Hall is the owner of Hermosa Orchards Village. He worked for two years to secure the project’s approval, which came in 2019.. It was a new concept for the county at the time, and Hall spent a lot of time explaining the difference between tiny home villages and RV parks.
Building codes can vary from one city or county to another, so the patchwork of regulations is another hurdle for developers.
“Currently, there's no federal code for tiny homes, and so it can be really difficult. A lot of areas won't allow them,” Hall noted.
He added that Colorado’s new law — classifying tiny homes built to state standards as permanent homes — is a promising step forward.
Another hurdle is changing the public’s perception of tiny homes.
“There's a conception that a tiny home dweller is somebody with a lot of problems and a lot of issues,” said Bob Lieb, owner of Escalante Village, the first tiny home community in Durango and one of the first in the state.
“A tiny home is different things to different people. Some people see it as just a little shack for a homeless person, but for me, it's a house,” Lieb continued. “People who live here are our everyday people. They’re not forced into this lifestyle, but they want to.”
During a gentle breeze, Denise Rohwer relaxed on their porch with their dog, taking in the view that first drew the couple to their home.
“I think I will stay here till we have to go in a home,” she said.
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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