I took out a second mortgage to build a tiny home in my backyard. Making money isn't the only reason it was worth it.

Courtesy of Elaine Yang

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Elaine Yang, a strategic area and infrastructure planner based in Irvine, California, who installed a Samara ADU, short for accessory dwelling unit, in her backyard. Yang, 42, said the decision was not a financial one but was instead a small way to help address California's housing crisis. The following has been edited for length and clarity.