The Tiny House craze is driving me crazy

8 years ago

The Tiny House craze is driving me crazy. But not for the reasons you may think. I actually love the idea of affordable and portable housing. Of not being tied down to a giant mortgage or a particular location. Of simplifying your life down to what you actually need.

I live in the Bay Area (Silicon Valley), the leader in unaffordable housing. I own land with gorgeous views that I can’t afford to build on. Tiny Houses seem like the perfect solution to the Bay Area’s housing crisis.

And there are so many beautiful and functional options out there. I’m constantly bombarded by ads, articles, fairs, and conventions promoting the benefits of ‘tiny’ living, and making me drool with envy.

So why does all this really tick me off? Because where I live, it’s all ILLEGAL! That’s right, zoning codes in the Bay Area prohibit living in a wheeled house. So even if you have a large backyard or own land, you can’t legally live in a Tiny House on it. And if you are lucky enough to actually find an RV park with an opening, many don’t accept Tiny Houses.

So please Tiny House industry, stop taunting me with what I can’t have, and put your energy into changing the zoning laws.

Featured Answer

eld6161

8 years ago

Buyer be aware, for sure. I have seen stories of people not being able to find a pace after investing in a tiny home.

What I find most interesting, is that they show off all the features of the tiny home. Some can be very elegant and upscale. But, they hardly ever show where this family of 4 is actually going to store their clothing!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

Bri Bosh
8 years ago
There are lots of tiny houses that aren’t on wheels, you know....
User
8 years ago
The basic problem is most tiny houses do not meet minimum space requirements for buildings for human occupancy when placed on a foundation. They are only legal when on wheels and designated as recreational vehicles. And then local codes prohibit living permanently in RV's/etc. in a fixed location.

Has to do with health standards and property values.
Related Professionals
Medford Home Builders · Sheridan Home Builders · Panama City Interior Designers & Decorators · Miami Interior Designers & Decorators · Niles Interior Designers & Decorators · Denver Interior Designers & Decorators · La Crosse Architects & Building Designers · Great Falls Architects & Building Designers · Salem Architects & Building Designers · Rapid City Architects & Building Designers · Forrest City Home Builders · Poplar Bluff Home Builders · Orangeburg Home Builders · Frisco Design-Build Firms · Parkersburg Design-Build Firms
margaret17
Original Author
8 years ago
So it sounds like you are damned if you do and damned if you don't — wheels or foundation, either way it’s illegal. So how is it we are in the midst of a Tiny House ‘revolution’? Companies are sprouting up left and right building them, including right here in the San Francisco Bay Area. So clearly people are buying them. Where do they go? Where is it actually legal to permanently live in these homes? Is it just the Bay Area that’s behind the curve? (Arguably one of the areas most in need of an affordable housing solution.) What do the tiny house manufacturers have to say about this?
writersblock (9b/10a)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Is it just the Bay Area that’s behind the curve?

Nah, it's the same everywhere. Many municipalities have a minimum square footage requirement of 1000 or more for new construction, even the town where I've been looking at older homes: 805 sf, 552 sf, 694 sf. But none of those houses would be legal to build today, and I'm on the other side of the country from you.
User
8 years ago
That tiny house 'Revolution' must be located elsewhere---I have yet to see one in Kansas City. The TV shows that tout them are simply doing shows---might be some in other places, but not around here. But, seems like most of the shows about homes are on the West Coast or Texas, with a few remodeling shows on the East Coast. Us folks here in the West Midwest(Michigan/Illinois.Ohio/Arkansas/etc. seem to be the media's midwest) have to make as make do. :-)
cathyyg
7 years ago
Rehab Addict on HGTV is Minneapolis and Detroit flips.
tangerinedoor
7 years ago
Get a “tiny house” that’s not quite as tiny. I’m doing exactly that, and it’s all solar. For every income level, from very low to wealthy. It doesn’t have wheels. Look here for many fun examples https://smallhousebliss.com http://www.smallhousestyle.com
tangerinedoor
7 years ago
Think ”modular” not manufactured. In my state, it’s cheaper to design, get one built, and pay a mortgage than to pay rent. The state is supporting this whole concept, since it’s smarter and more cost efficient for the state for folks to own their own homes than for the state to build affordable housing built for renting. My state is building whole tracts of these (in some, each home is different from its neighbors) for low to moderate incomes.

My state has a dire shortage of affordable housing, rents are astronomical in proportin to income, and your monthly heating bill can exceed your rental payment. Solar takes care of all that, and it’s highly incentivized.
User
7 years ago
jungle, which state is your state?
tangerinedoor
7 years ago
Jim Mat... I'd rather not discuss online. This company builds for New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

Many nonprofits (with government grants and sometimes federal mortgages to qualified buyers) interlock to make this concept happen. Note key words: you have to qualify for a mortgage (frequently subsidized and with extremely intense oversight from the lender); not everyone does, so they have to rent.

Modular: owner can do a lot of the designing.

Examples: Photos https://www.facebook.com/pg/vermodhomes/photos/?ref=page_internal

A current project announcement (see how various housing agencies team up, and the mix of owned and rentals): https://dunkielsaunders.com/case_study/salisbury-square/

Overview article: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/guess-what-dropped-in-a-house/