Backyard Tiny Homes for a More Equitable Community
Coram Houses is a community organization based in Durham, North Carolina, dedicated to breaking cycles of racial and economic injustice through creative and equitable housing solutions. As an accessory dwelling unit builder, they specialize in constructing backyard tiny homes — also known as backyard cottages or granny flats — that serve a dual purpose: generating monthly passive income for homeowners while providing affordable housing to those who need it most.
Their model is straightforward and community-driven. They build a backyard tiny house on a homeowner's property, the homeowner provides equitable housing to a tenant, and together they contribute to building a stronger, more unified community. It is a partnership rooted in mutuality and solidarity — not just a construction transaction.
How the ADU Process Works
Coram Houses has developed a thoughtful, step-by-step process to guide homeowners through the journey of adding an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) to their property:
- Financing: They work with bank partners who have created financial products specifically designed to fund ADU construction. Homeowners are connected with these partners to find the option that best suits their situation.
- Tenant Selection: Many homeowners already have someone in mind — a family member, friend, or community connection in need of housing. For those who don't, Coram Houses maintains a network of nonprofits, community leaders, and partners who can connect homeowners with prospective tenants seeking affordable housing.
- Tenant-Homeowner Partnership: Once a tenant is selected, both parties meet to establish a partnership, discuss best practices for sharing land and space, and sign a rental agreement before moving forward together.
- Property Management: Coram Houses offers optional property management services, though homeowners are not required to use them.
As a detached ADU builder and backyard cottage builder, Coram Houses brings both construction expertise and community infrastructure to every project. Their approach goes beyond simply erecting a structure — they facilitate relationships and create the conditions for neighbors to truly live in community with one another.
A Mission-Driven ADU Contractor
Unlike traditional ADU contractors, Coram Houses does not operate with profit maximization as its primary goal. They are a business, but one designed to maximize hope, mutuality, and solidarity. Every backyard tiny home they build is an act of resistance against the systemic separation and inequality that persists in housing today.
The name Coram means "in the presence of" — a philosophy that shapes everything they do. They believe in being fully present to the past that has shaped communities, the future full of possibilities, and the present moment where meaningful change actually happens.
Backyard homes alone won't solve society's problems, and Coram Houses is the first to acknowledge that. They see themselves as one piece of a complex puzzle — but a vital one. By building accessory dwelling units in the backyards of Durham homes, they are working every day to dismantle the barriers that divide communities and replace them with something far more powerful: genuine human connection and equitable housing.
