The tiny home movement is slow moving - caught up in zoning ordinances, building codes, NIMBY’s, and slow motion politics by city officials. The demand for this kind of housing is on the rise as people are bypassing large living structures that come with large costs. Cities and local governments should attempt to keep up with this growing demand.
HOW MUCH SPACE DO WE NEED
People are looking to un-complicate life and one of the most complicated matters is housing. We all desire that perfect living structure, but how much do we need? In 1973, the average home was 1,660 square feet, and in 2016 it is now 2600 square feet. Is this trend going to take a turn back to 1973 with downsizing?
ROADBLOCKS
After watching countless episodes of Tiny House, Big Living on HGTV I assumed these homes are going up all over the place and with ease. Tiny Home party! Not really. When I met the owner of my tiny home he told me that he was only allowed to do this because it was an existing structure and grandfathered in. It has been converted into what you see in the picture above from a 50 year old trailer. He extended the front and had to move it closer to the street to make it work. The zoning laws here require a minimum of 700 square feet for small lots and 800 square feet for larger lots.
I started to research other areas to see if this is a widespread issue and it appears to be. Builders and tiny home dreamers are running up against zoning ordinances, building codes, plumbing regulations, water issues, upset neighbors, and more. Some find ways to work around zoning issues only to be stopped by building codes.
Zoning Ordinances - Refers to where you can build and how it will interact with the property. This includes minimums for sewer/septic, emergency vehicle access, water hookups and the square footage it takes up on the property.
Building Codes - Specifies minimum standards for the construction and how it will be built.
Here is a Massachusetts woman that built a 190 square foot tiny home while in college who has been kicked out of her tiny home due to local politics:
http://www.upgruv.com/tiny-house-kicked-out-college-massachussetts-woman-1786487060.html
WORKAROUNDS
Some Tiny Homes are being designed with RV rules to work around building codes, just make sure to do your research before hand. By making your tiny home mobile it can be looked at as an RV with zoning and building codes. Many times you can park mobile tiny homes in RV designated areas but eventually you will have to leave the RV park due to long term residency rules. There is also the ADU option - Accessory Dwelling Unit. These were originally for guesthouses, cottages, Mother-in-Law units, all built on existing properties. You could put a tiny home on an existing property but check with the city first!
SUCCESSES
A few areas paving the way . . .
-Top 5 Tiny Home friendly states: California, Oregon, Texas, North Carolina and Florida.
-Spur, TX declared itself the first Tiny Home friendly town in America in 2014
-Fresno, CA has legalized tiny homes on wheels to be placed on residential lots
-Walsenburg, CO in 2014 changed its zoning rules specifically to allow tiny homes to be built on residential lots.
While there are successes, local governments can speed up the pace to keep up with the builders and and those that want to live in a tiny home.
1st photo = mine
2nd photo = http://www.countryliving.com/home-design/g1887/tiny-house/