Fast Company profiles OurStory Small Houses

Fast Company staff writer Nate Berg profiled OurStory Small Houses in a piece published on April 7, 2026. “These Small Houses in Omaha Reimagined the Starter Home” stats that OurStory houses are “resetting the standard for starter homes in the U.S.” Writing during the construction of the first two houses, Berg concludes, “In less than two years, the OurStory houses have gone from idea to nearly completed homes. It’s a scalable approach that could start to chip away at the housing shortages plaguing Omaha and cities like it.”

OurStory Small Houses is a system of aging-ready homes for Omaha that approaches affordability at the intersection of design, finance, and policy. OurStory houses meet the needs of an aging population with a design aesthetic that is also appealing to first-time buyers. Designed by FACT and led by Partners for Livable Omaha with Actual Architecture Co. as architect of record, OurStory reimagines the single-family house to fill the gap in the local market for constructible and financeable designs. Variations on the OurStory prototype can function as standalone small homes, accessory dwelling units to existing homes, or as part of dense cottage courts and cluster communities using community land trusts or other innovative land tenancy regimes. The all-electric, space efficient concept features design innovations including structural insulated panels (walls and roof) and prefabricated components to reduce construction time, boost building energy efficiency, and realize affordability. The first two houses, Corby & Benson will be completed in 2026.