Tiny Homes? Hug ’em and Love ’em! The Media seems to, including us. They’re forever popping up as cozy little bandaid stories about the housing and homelessness crisis in the U.S. A recent article in Shelterforce provides a useful overview.
Homelessness
People who are homeless in the U.S. have gained some legal protection. A federal court decision bars governments from clearing encampments unless there is alternative accommodation available. Tiny homes are an answer that avoids some of the issues with congregate emergency shelters, such as violence and lack of privacy. Protection from the elements is a big plus for people who are living in tents, especially when it can take years to bring more housing that is deeply affordable on stream.
Permanent Housing
The article also reports on efforts to build smaller homes, with the idea of bringing down the cost of housing. This includes building small homes for ownership. The purchase price is below other homes for sale on the private market. They are also far beyond the means of the 20% of Americans who earn less than $20,000 per year, for whom affordable means $500/month at most.
As well, the article discusses questions that commonly come up when thinking about how to add to the supply of housing that is deeply affordable. The gap between supply and need is very large: a tiny house, even a group of them, is a drop in the bucket. The questions apply equally in other jurisdictions. This aspect the article may prove most useful for policy makers, decision makers, people with experience of homelessness, community agencies and advocates.
Read more at Shelterforce: Are Tiny Homes a Piece of the Affordable Housing Puzzle?
