Vina Lustado has always lived simply. She grew up in a small house in the Philippines and then shared a one-bedroom place in Los Angeles with her nine siblings. As an adult, she lived in guest houses. In 2013, Vina and her husband Cliff built a small 140-square-foot house on wheels for $40,000.
A year later, Vina built a tiny, modern office also on wheels, using a type of strong, insulated panel. In 2018, she brought her mobile home and office together on the same property. This created a mobile micro duplex with a shared deck that blends indoor and outdoor living.
Both of Vina Lustado’s structures, her home and office, are off the grid. They use a 1.5-kilowatt solar power setup. Her tiny office doesn’t use propane; instead, she cooks with an induction stove and uses fans and a small heater to control the temperature.
She gets water from the city and has a composting toilet. Vina has been working for years to help people who live in tiny homes have legal rights.
She is now working with the city of Ojai to allow tiny homes on wheels to be considered accessory dwelling units (also known as granny flats or backyard cottages).
Vina, who graduated with a degree in architecture from USC but is not yet a licensed architect, has designed plans for a small modular home. She hopes to get these plans pre-approved for building permits in Ventura County.
