A Homeless Silicon Valley Carpenter Built Himself This Amazing Treetop Retreat

Robert Johnson for Business InsiderThis is Troy's treehouse in The Jungle.Walking the 65-acre homeless encampment called “The Jungle” in Silicon Valley with an outreach team of former homeless workers opens up a lot of doors — but not Troy's.

Troy was reclined in a folding chair behind a green five-foot privacy screen when Business Insider met him in mid-July. He agreed to speak with us, but declined to let us into his camp.

The outreach team asked Troy if he was interested in putting his name on the list for subsidized housing and he shook his head. “Nah,” he said, “This is the first time I haven't had a mortgage in my life. I'm good.”

Troy explained he'd lost his carpentry job nearly four years ago and finally settled here. His carpentry skills explained the elaborate fencing, shower and makeshift hut with a hinged door standing behind him.

We weren't talking long when Troy said he'd had enough and told us to check out his treehouse 30-feet up in a tree behind us. “Climb it,” he said laughing. When we didn't reply, he continued: “It's there to stay. I'm a carpenter for Christ's Sake.”