Tiny houses outlawed where they are most needed
By Maegan Carberry, Salon
While America might be known for its philosophy of expansion, a growing number of citizens are diligently trying to reverse-engineer Manifest Destiny. Much of the focus on people who opt to live in tiny houses is written by gawkers who focus on their chic designs, radical downsizing, and feasibility.
However, living tiny is literally about as close to a grassroots movement as one can get, and proponents are actively engaged in advocacy with local governments to realize their vision of decentralizing materialism. With a groundbreaking proposal to amend the International Residence Code — which is the model code for the majority of residential construction in the United States — submitted by movement leaders last fall, 2017 might be the year that sets up this niche market to go mainstream.
“Tiny House communities or pocket neighborhoods provide the opportunity for closer human connections, sharing and intentional communities, and a release from the ‘work to live’ trap so many of us are ensnared in,” says Cy Englert, who administers the popular online group Tiny House Community.