2024’s Best States for Tiny House Living

What are 3 key considerations homeowners should make before committing to tiny house living?

The three considerations I would suggest for a potential tiny house dweller:

1. Where do you picture yourself in five years? In other words, are you looking for this to be a short-term endeavor, which is fine, or a long-term decision? This may help with deciding on renting or committing to building and/or buying your own dwelling.

2. Can you comfortably pare down your stuff to what you’d take for a week to a hotel? If you don’t know, try it. Otherwise, realize you’ll be paying a monthly fee for a storage unit somewhere.

3. Consider how you primarily aim to spend your time. If it’s exploring the great outdoors, no problem. If it’s mainly being inside with your significant other, you might want to envision how that will be in a small space.

What are the top 3 benefits and top 3 downsides of buying a pre-manufactured tiny house compared with designing and building one from scratch?

Pre-fab manufactured tiny house benefits:

• Quick.
• They meet building codes (for a pre-fab) which is a huge benefit if you’ve never built anything.
• Relatively inexpensive.

Pre-fab manufactured tiny house downfalls:

• Not personalized.
• May have challenges finding a location that allows pre-fabs.
• In some areas, there aren’t enough manufacturers for demand.

How can tiny homes impact local housing markets, if at all?

We are in a housing crisis, so any type of incremental housing can help fill the need. Many cities across the country are legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units (which can be tiny houses) to help with affordable workforce housing. But much more needs to be done. I have never heard of tiny houses ruining a housing market — if anything, we need way more.

Are tiny house villages a good use of urban space in big cities? Why or why not?

Tiny house villages done correctly can be a huge asset to urban areas.

The opposition suggests that greater density is needed and aims for apartment complexes, etc.

However, my research finds that the American Dream is alive and well and that tiny houses, though small, meet a desire for one’s own detached house with a bit of a yard. In other words, they are more affordable and sustainable than your typical home, yet still meet the cultural preference for housing in the U.S.

Are tiny house villages a good solution for alleviating homelessness? Why or why not?

There are many factors that impact whether a tiny house village for the homeless is a “success” or not. However, done correctly, they are an excellent tool for addressing homeless.

Primarily, tiny house villages again meet the cultural preference for single-family detached units, are seen as appealing, and thus, do not face the same NIMBY-ism (Not In My Backyard) sentiment as other types of housing to address homelessness.

Having community support — rather than opposition — is essential for developing programs to help the homeless, and this type of design and/or development is generally well-received.

What are three key considerations homeowners should make before committing to tiny house living?

1. Whether or not the lifestyle is attainable for them long-term.

2. Who do they live with, what is their dynamic like, and would they work well together in a small space?

3. Homeowners should talk to current tiny home dwellers to learn about their experiences — benefits, challenges, etc. — of tiny home living.

How can tiny homes impact local housing markets, if at all?

Tiny homes offer a more affordable alternative to traditional single-family homes that dominate many communities.

Housing shortages are being felt across the country, in virtually every state and every town. Tiny houses can add to the housing inventory in an environmentally sensitive way.

They are also more attainable for many, including students, young professionals, and those on fixed incomes.

Are tiny house villages a good use of urban space in big cities? Why or why not?

This is very subjective to the characteristics of the city itself, but generally speaking, tiny homes offer a way to gently add density in urban areas. For example, an existing single-family home on a large lot could incorporate a tiny home as an accessory dwelling unit (if zoning allows) to add an additional dwelling unit to their property.

That said, important factors to consider are the impact on parking, the impact of additional people in a neighborhood on schools and other services and/or infrastructure, and the environmental impact of additional impervious services in a city.

Are tiny house villages a good solution for alleviating homelessness? Why or why not?

Tiny homes for alleviating homelessness have proved to be a successful model in many communities.

Homelessness is an extremely complicated challenge with no single solution. However, tiny house villages have been utilized as a tool for transitional housing and a way to help create a sense of agency for those experiencing homelessness.

Important to the success of these villages are:

• A strong management plan.
• Connecting residents to additional resources like healthcare and job training.
• Access to public transportation.