Tiny Houses

What does this mean for our communities?

KRCC Housing Advisory Team

Kitsap County: Commissioner Charlotte GarridoCity of Bainbridge Island: Council Member Val Tollefson

City of Bremerton: Mayor Patty Lent City of Poulsbo: Mayor Becky Erickson

City of Port Orchard: Mayor Tim Matthes

e.g. Zoning?

Fire Code?Incentivize?

A Discussion within Our Community

and Look Who’s Here!

Local Government

Staff

Social Service Agencies

Building Community

Knowledgeable Resources

CitizenAdvocates

Housing Authorities

Elected Officials

Local Building & Planning Staff

Why Tiny Houses?

Average Home Size

1,780 square feet (1978)

2,479 square feet (2007)

19731987

1997 The Not So Big House Sarah Susanka

Architectural & social movement

Living simplyIn small houses

“Getting away from it all”

But what are Tiny Houses?Micropod 32 ft2

Tiny House 80 – 999 100 – 400117 – 874

WikipediaTiny Life.com

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses

Micro Housing

43 – 107 100 – 200

220 +

n/aNo kitchen

Kitchen City of Seattle

Park Model Home < 400 RV reqs, moveable,

tie-downs

Cottage Housing 800 – 1100 Design guidelines,

Clustered

Accessory Dwelling Units < 3000 Co-located, Accessory use

Key design factors: Built to RV specs or … Anchored vs. WheelsAssembled vs. Pre-fab

What’s the Cost of Tiny Homes?Under 400 ft2

RV rules $60,000 - $80,000 12 on order today

Up to 200 ft2 $30,000 - $40,000With shared kitchen

Up to 200 ft2

Kit w/ optional install$4,000 - $14,000 (kit) +

Optional Install Sold 50 in a year

200 ft2

Shipping Containers $29,000 - $36,000

130-172 ft2

DIY/Plans → Kit →Fully Assembled

$60,000 (custom)$15,000 (partial build)

$6,000 (DIY)Offers financing

100 ft2

Very modern$23,000 - $28,000

($42,400)Custom features

(off-grid)98 ft2

Volunteer labor $5,000

Who wants Tiny Houses?Empty Nesters Aging in Place Retired

CouplesVacation Homes

Guest Cottages Studios

New Homeowners Young People

Income - Challenged

Young People wanting“off the grid”

Farm Workers Young Professionals

Boomerang College Kids

People Who Are Homeless

Where are Tiny House Villages & Communities?

New Zealand

What are Challenges of Tiny Homes?

Neighborhood reactions to in-fill clusters of low income peoplee.g. Tent Cities Group Homes

PermittingUtility Hook-upsOccupant Health & Safety

Not cost-effective for developers to “do it right”

By the time you deal with code restrictions & requirements, no longer affordable housing

5 Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know1. Most cities are “complaint driven enforcement” meaning if your

neighbors don’t say anything, they don’t seek you out.

2. In 2012 and 2013, most cities started cutting back their code enforcement staff and they’d rather leave you alone.

3. If you maintain an address at a traditional home, it’s hard for them to prove you live in the tiny house.

4. They won’t say it, but they think tiny houses are awesome and the wave of the future.

5. Most campgrounds limit your stay to 14-21 days, but if you have two campgrounds in town, you can alternate until one of them likes you enough to invite you to stay. Private campgrounds are more willing to do this.

From: Cracking the Code: A Guide to Building Codes & Zoning for Tiny Houses

~ The Ins & Outs of Living Small ~ Brad Lansing, Superior Structures NWvia SKYPE: Ross Beck, Tumbleweed Sharon Read, Seattle Tiny Homes Some perspectives from local architects & builders: Miriam Villiard, Heritage Builders NW Randy Biegenwald, Kitsap HBA Jonathan Davis, Davis Studio Some perspectives from local planners & regulators: Jeff Rowe-Hornbaker, Kitsap County xxx

1 hour

15 Minute Break

Quixote Village ~ Olympia, WA Jill Severn, Board Member, Panza Foundation Steve Friddle, Principal Planner, City of Olympia Raul Salazar, Quixote Village Program Manager

1 hour

Discussion & More Discussion up to 1 hr

What does this mean for our communities?