When Elvis Summers moved to South L.A. last August, he met Smokie, a 60-year-old homeless woman whose real name is Irene McGhee. She was living on the street and would come by to ask for recyclables. 

When Summers learned about Smokie’s living situation — essentially in the dirt, with a broken chair — Summers wanted to help. After $500 and a trip (or two) to Home Depot, a tiny home for Smokie was born:

The house was built on wheels and parked on the street — technically a vehicle under city law. As long as the home/vehicle is moved every 72 hours, it’s allowed to stay.

After building Smokie’s house, he continued to build tiny homes for other homeless individuals he met in the area:

You can learn more about Summers’ project in the audio player above or at his website: My Tiny House Project LA