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There seems to be a big issue with people who want to live in tiny homes. And that is that they do not have any place to put them. But I have been thinking about this, and we already have a simmilar system in place - the trailer park. Trailer parks tend to have very negative reputations. So I am trying to figure out how to turn the triler park into something better.
For those interested int eh tiny home movement, what are the features you are looking for in a tiny home community? I see diverging interests - for some it seems like they are looking for green living choices, being as off the grid as possible. For others they are simply looking for lower costs and the ability to pick up and move. For others it is more an aesthetic issue.
so what are you really looking for? What kind of environment are you looking at (dense, urban, rural, out in the woods, isolated)?
There seems to be a big issue with people who want to live in tiny homes. And that is that they do not have any place to put them. But I have been thinking about this, and we already have a simmilar system in place - the trailer park. Trailer parks tend to have very negative reputations. So I am trying to figure out how to turn the triler park into something better.
For those interested int eh tiny home movement, what are the features you are looking for in a tiny home community? I see diverging interests - for some it seems like they are looking for green living choices, being as off the grid as possible. For others they are simply looking for lower costs and the ability to pick up and move. For others it is more an aesthetic issue.
so what are you really looking for? What kind of environment are you looking at (dense, urban, rural, out in the woods, isolated)?
You might think the solution would be to turn a trailer park into a village of tiny houses. But first you would need to replace the trailers, and most of the residents could not afford to do that.
Trailers, since they are brought in via the roads, end up having very shallow roof slopes which are not particularly attractive. A tiny house village could be so much more interesting, especially if the lots were laid out in a harmonious way with an abundance of professional landscaping weaving in and out.
I think your trailer park idea got blown outa the water- most who have/use "tiny homes" are mobile, and looking for more "isolated" space. Being packed-in, one next to the other probably won't be much of an appeal.
And as previously stated- zoning, zoning, zoning. Trailer parks and/or anything similar is becoming harder and harder to procure. If you can grease the local politician's palms, bend over and take it from the NIMB's you may well be on your way to a new industry- but I doubt it!
I think your trailer park idea got blown outa the water- most who have/use "tiny homes" are mobile, and looking for more "isolated" space. Being packed-in, one next to the other probably won't be much of an appeal.
And as previously stated- zoning, zoning, zoning. Trailer parks and/or anything similar is becoming harder and harder to procure. If you can grease the local politician's palms, bend over and take it from the NIMB's you may well be on your way to a new industry- but I doubt it!
That's what I am trying to figure out. Some people seem to think that the tiny home movement is all about building a tiny cabin off in the boonies. Yet I am also seeing a big side of the movement where they are specifically looking for community. If you look at the tiny home community plan you see, they are all arranged quite closely. Besides, I have seen some trailer parks that are pretty well spaced apart.
I am concerned with more than just the layout, however. What is the balance between things like solar array and gardens and a coffee shop and WiFi and recreational activities? Do people want a regular neighborhood with driveways and mailboxes and little picket fences, or do they want a central fire pit and activity hall? In the woods? In the city?
That's what I am trying to figure out. Some people seem to think that the tiny home movement is all about building a tiny cabin off in the boonies. Yet I am also seeing a big side of the movement where they are specifically looking for community. If you look at the tiny home community plan you see, they are all arranged quite closely. Besides, I have seen some trailer parks that are pretty well spaced apart.
I am concerned with more than just the layout, however. What is the balance between things like solar array and gardens and a coffee shop and WiFi and recreational activities? Do people want a regular neighborhood with driveways and mailboxes and little picket fences, or do they want a central fire pit and activity hall? In the woods? In the city?
I've been following the tiny home movement quite a while now. As long as there is society prejudice against it - in the form of restrictive zoning, etc. - the "movement" will never get a move-on. Many are in the position I am and searching for such an option for their own reasons. The tiny house search always leads back to park model trailers and trailer parks. Whereas the park models are a much more economical version of the tiny house, many of us don't like the idea of a trailer park with one unit right on top of the other. Another factor is 300-400 on up per month lot rent. So, about 4K a year to have your own home in a park??? I don't think so. Unfortunately, tiny homes don't exist in town. Trying to find a house less than 1000 sqft is a real challenge, thanks to the "bigger-is-better" mentality that's gone on far too long in this country. In looking around, I found many that want something nice, don't want an apartment nor trailer park, but a frugal small-home solution. This is a tough balance to make
So, to answer the question as to what I'd prefer: 400-600 sqft home in town (or very near) with convenient town amenities, on typical city lot with trees and of course covered parking. I'm trying to get away from the 100 mile round-trips to town which is what I have now.
I have seen the tiny homes on HGTV and think they are adorable for the right person.
I am not the right person, I am far too claustrophobic to live in something that small permanently. I might think about having one to go camping but, then I could buy a small camper for less money and just as efficient.
That said, a pastor in Nashville, TN is trying to raise 50K to build ten tiny homes for the homeless.
This is probably more for the urban planning forum, at least my response to the OP thread.
I'll agree with others that zoning is the big determinate here, typically to kill any possibilities for tiny homes in most communities.
I'll add that although there are some folks who wish to sort of interchange a typical sized house for the area with a tiny home on the same lot (or even go out to the wilderness) I think that there are plenty of folks who wish for a more connected community- and that could be quite urban- and would be willing to give up the typical sized lot (and price) for tiny, yet somewhat private space within a larger development of tiny homes sharing more community space between them. Instead of tiny mobile home trailers, which is the "typical" tiny home and the idea of a trailer park in their midst turns many people off, very small quality homes, attached or not, arrayed in a planned context within the lot(s) I think holds a lot more appeal.
We have plenty of historical examples of these "Cottage Courts" in Southern California, in fact, I believe the neighborhoods near my house contain the most and finest examples extant. There are literally dozens of examples here; Spanish Revival, Craftsman, Tudor, English Cottage, Mediterranean styles, usually two rows of separate units on opposite sides of a central plaza, lawn or court with a larger, multi unit building anchoring the development in the back. Most of the units would be anywhere from about 350-600 s.f. These were built as another housing option in the first couple of decades of the 20th century for working class singles or couples to provide the feeling of their own home in the city but without the cost of the typical single family home on a lot. Instead of two or three single family houses these lots might contain 8-12 tiny bungalows, duplexes or four-plexes situated around a shared court, often with individual front porches and small gardens and shared parking/utility facilities off to the back or side. Many of them have all the architectural detail and finishes of their much larger counterparts beside them and thus they fit in well in otherwise mostly single-family home communities.
I certainly will say they don't seem to affect property values negatively, especially if they are well maintained or have, as many here, turned into condos. The houses directly next to them might be pulled down 5% or so but around here that still means a 1500 s.f. bungalow on a typical 5000 s.f. lot is gonna get $700-800k. Larger houses just a couple of blocks away on prime lots will still go for over a million quickly after being on the market. The units themselves if offered for sale would range from the mid to high 200s to low 300s. That of course sounds outrageous to nearly everywhere else but here, that represents a rare opportunity for home ownership in the heart of the city for many otherwise completely shut out.
It's too bad these are so rare now. In prohibitively expensive cities like mine, Seattle, The Bay Area, and Denver this housing option I believe would be very popular for many searching for housing in communities within these cities, and they might not be as pushed back so aggressively by existing home owners as a more typical larger scaled condo/apartment building as cities try to increase density. I have read about just a handful in various cities going in the past few years.
They are unique enough that they will almost always pop up in national architecture or urban planning blogs when a rare one is planned or built. For now though I think they will still be a rare phenomenon specifically because of existing zoning and Nimbyism from many communities.
HGTV has a show called Tiny House Hunters and these things are going great guns. Theres various sizes and many already have places for them. Smaller ones actually built on trailers with wheels and a pick up takes them anywhere. Interesting idea someone started. Read where some cities looking to start small communities of really tiny homes where individuals with little income could buy one for less than 5000 and not living on the streets.
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Close to, or in town
