In 2026, the affordability crisis is touching every aspect of daily life. At the grocery store , inflation has driven up the costs of products like beef, while people around the world have been feeling the strain of the war in Iran at the gas pump and in other parts of their lives. People are struggling with the cost of living when it comes to housing, too. Business Insider's James Rodriguez recently reported on the " new homeowner penalty " in the US, a phenomenon in which new homeowners are paying a larger share of their income on housing than previous generations. From 2019 to 2024, the average household income in the US grew by less than 1%, while the average down payment on a home increased by 30%. Economic hardships like these are being felt around the world, leaving many people in some countries with no choice but to rent uncomfortably small living arrangements. For others, building new tiny homes has become a way to combat rising costs and social issues such as homelessness.…