The Business Behind Tiny Home Communities with Dedria Kolb

Building a tiny home community can look simple until you start digging into the land.

Dedria Kolb learned that firsthand while developing Poplar Creek Tiny Home Village in Rutherford County, North Carolina. The 10 acre property once operated as a mobile home park, which gave her existing infrastructure to work with during phase one.

That first phase opened with 10 lots in July 2024. By December, every lot had been leased through word of mouth and grassroots marketing.

Phase two was another story. Dedria had to work with raw land, grading, new infrastructure, and an engineered septic system. The expansion added 20 lots, bringing the planned community to 30 lots in total.

Dedria also explains why Poplar Creek uses long term lot leases. Residents bring their own tiny homes, as long as the homes have the appropriate certifications and can be insured. Average lot rent is about $700 per month.

Key topics and takeaways:

• What counts as a tiny home and why there is no single definition
• Why Poplar Creek is zoned as an RV park
• How phase one reached full occupancy within months
• Why phase two was much harder and more expensive
• How long term lot leases work at Poplar Creek
• Why Dedria chose common spaces including pavilions, fire pits, gardens, and a dog park
• The zoning and building code challenges facing tiny home communities
• Why residents, not the developer, ultimately create the community

Guest information:

Dedria Kolb is a small scale developer focused on tiny home communities and other smaller footprint housing concepts.

She developed Poplar Creek Tiny Home Village in Rutherford County, North Carolina.

Dedria also has a coaching program for women interested in development. She teaches topics including finding land, engineering deals, and tiny home development.