Kelvin Xuna shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Kelvin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building the foundations for Artist Housing, the first branded co-living company in the world. While people see the buildings and the tenants, few see the invisible systems I created—the operational workflows, the legal frameworks, and the hands-on tenant management that kept everything running despite unfair policies and financial challenges. I built a business model from scratch that proved co-living could work at scale, long before it became a recognized $8B industry, all while navigating every challenge solo. It’s a mix of vision, grit, and problem-solving that most people never get to witness.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kelvin Xuna, the founder of Artist Housing, the first official branded co-living company in the world. I started it over a decade ago with the goal of creating affordable, inspiring spaces where creative people could live, collaborate, and grow together. Unlike typical real estate operations, my focus has always been on building a community, not just properties—designing systems and workflows that make co-living work at scale while supporting residents’ creative ambitions. Today, I’m working on expanding the vision beyond Los Angeles, integrating technology and AI to capture and share the creative and human stories of those who live in these spaces, and exploring new ventures that combine real estate, community, and innovation. My work is about turning invisible systems and long-term vision into tangible impact, even when most people never see the behind-the-scenes effort that makes it all possible.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that clung to control has served its purpose and now must be released. For years, I built systems, managed every detail, and shouldered the weight of innovation alone to prove that my vision could work. That need for total control helped me pioneer something no one else had done—but now, growth requires trust, delegation, and collaboration. Letting go doesn’t mean losing influence; it means creating space for new ideas, partners, and perspectives to elevate what I’ve built beyond what I could do alone.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the defining wounds of my life has been building things, like Artist Housing, without support or belief from those closest to me. I poured years of energy, creativity, and resources into pioneering a new model for co-living, only to face skepticism, resistance, and repeated setbacks. At times, it felt isolating, like I was carrying the vision alone while others doubted its value. Healing came through perseverance and reframing: I learned to trust my own instincts, measure success by impact rather than approval, and find strength in the small victories of the community I built. Over time, I realized that the wound itself became a catalyst, it taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of creating systems and relationships that outlast any single person’s doubts.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to building and expanding Artist Housing, creating spaces where creative people can live, collaborate, and thrive together, no matter how long it takes, I believe in proving that co-living is more than just shared housing, it’s a platform for community, growth, and innovation, I am dedicated to refining the systems, technology, and experiences that make these communities sustainable and impactful, and I am willing to invest the time, energy, and resources necessary to see this vision fully realized.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think people will most misunderstand that my legacy is just about buildings or business, many will see the physical spaces or the tenants and assume that is the sum of my work, they won’t see the systems, the unseen operations, and the long-term vision that made it all possible, they won’t realize the years of trial, failure, and problem-solving that went into proving that co-living could work at scale, my hope is that people understand it is about creating opportunity, community, and infrastructure that empowers creativity, even if the effort behind it is invisible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ArtistHousing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisthousing/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kxuna/
- Twitter: https://x.com/ArtistHousingLA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistHousing/
- Yelp: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistHousing/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtistHousing
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/802238043167491/
