Their advocates don’t claim that they are the entire solution to Vancouver’s growing affordable housing crisis, but they think they are part of the solution, if they’re given acceptance.
And meanwhile, Cory Grandfield says that their home – custom made and perfect for them, is being forced by the city to move.
North of the border, just as has occurred in many U.S. jurisdictions, tiny houses face a fight. But what makes this story one that tiny – and manufactured home advocates – ought to follow closely, is that supporters of tiny houses have organized to fight city hall, wherever in British Columbia that they meet resistance.
Anastasia Koutalianos, the co-founder of the BC Tiny House Collective, is advocating for Grandfield and for others in Vancouver with tiny houses, but is not finding the welcome mat out for them.
“I think it’s really about having a conversation with the city planners and council and really showcasing there’s a demand for this housing stock,” she told CTV News.
But until that happens, Grandfield thinks he’ll park his tiny home in Squamish.
Tiny Trendy Among Several Manufactured Home Producers
While some are being built to the ANSI or HUD Codes, there are tiny houses being built by HUD Code builders to no code at all, which have been displayed at events such as the Tunica Manufactured Housing Show. What’s certain is that those who are producing them see the potential for added sales in a market perceived to have more positive media than manufactured housing does.
But the legal challenges for true, unregulated, tiny houses remains.
MHLivingNews and the Daily Business News have chronicled many of the tiny house challenges. But what the tiny house enthusiasts are doing, is that a model for more successful engagement by manufactured home residents? Given that a strict reading of the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (MHIA 2000) supports enhanced preemption of manufactured homes, should they be more accepted in towns and cities?
Stan Dye has said, yes, they think that’s what should happen.
Other retailers – like Gary Adamek from the Houston, TX market area – have told MHProNews that zoning is a bigger issue by far than Dodd-Frank ever was.
Several state association executive directors aren’t happy about the lack of back-up for preemption of the industry’s homes coming from the HUD Code manufactured home program’s current director, Pam Danner.
Not speaking directly to Danner’s controversial command over the program, J.D. Harper focuses his comments on local officials.
“I’ve told many city officials that I don’t believe that manufactured homes belong on every lot in every zone in every town – but I DO believe there are MANY lots in MANY towns which restrict manufactured homes where a factory-built residence would provide access to decent, affordable housing for working Arkansans — without having an adverse impact on surrounding property values or the quality of life in that neighborhood,” J.D. Harper said to MHProNews. His full commentary is linked here.
Jay Hamilton, the executive director of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association, said: “The one issue that will prohibit affordable housing in the future — not only manufactured homes, but site-built — is local zoning and covenants.”
As noted, Adamek is among those professionals who believes that zoning for manufactured housing is bigger and more harmful than
the challenges caused by the Dodd-Frank Act. Describing battles with cities and towns in his state, “…some will simply pass ordinances that flatly prohibit manufactured homes,” says Adamek. “They don’t even have to get fancy about it.”
These are among the reasons that MHProNews publisher, L. A. “Tony” Kovach in his comments to HUD has asked for replacing Pam Danner in her leadership over the program, and has called for the full implementation of the MHIA 2000. Kovach believes that wishing and hoping aren’t a strategy– it will require thoughtful and routine engagement to effect the changes needed.
He also points to the huge potential growth the industry could enjoy, if the MHIA 2000 were being fully enforced, a call that MHARR has been making for several years too.
Comments to HUD can still be made, please see the article – with four easy steps to comment – linked here.
Back in BC…
The BC Tiny House movement has organized about 1000 people to fight for their cause. Can manufactured homes – with millions of owners, and thousands of more businesses, manage some day to do the same? ##
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