Conscientious tiny-home builder/residents get busted

J

JBR

Senior Member
Location
Southern Canada mtn. valley, tad west of Rockies
Here's an issue that's been surfacing in western Canada. I suspect that some districts of the U.S. may have something similar going on. I don't know at all about other countries (UK, Australia & elsewhere).

A young couple put their time, energy, money & skill into building a shelter they could afford. They made every attempt to be conscientious. Authorities are coming down on them with development & building restrictions. Are people with minimal savings and limited income supposed to wind up in a tent city? The despair that goes with that option often seems enough to drive people to drug addiction.

Tiny home.jpg

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...dco-housing-crisis-homelessness-rvs-1.7144280
 

Communities everywhere enforce lots of codes. The article says this about their home:

"It does not align with the B.C. building code, CSA safety standards or land use regulations. It is neither a certified tiny home nor a CSA classified recreation vehicle," the letter states.​
​
"The wastewater system you are currently using is not permitted in this streamside aquatic protected area."​
 

And yet, at one rest stop along Highway One in the Fraser Valley, there are rows of motor homes that people are living in and quite literally, a two storey structure built out of discarded sheets of plywood and tarps, that has been there for at least a year! We need to do better for homeless people if we're going to be kicking them out of places like this couple's structure.
 
That valley (Okanagan) is several mountain chains west of where I live. I've travelled through there a lot, and lived there part of winter 2022. Still, it's not where my home is. But I'll say this. From what I know, the developers have gained complete control of the regional government there, and the local governments in several of the towns & the largest city. Developers are getting quite wealthy there.

A consequence is that tracts of $800K homes on small lots has become typical. Young couples & families have a hard time getting a foothold there. I don't claim to know all, but I'm prepared to entertain the thought that the regulations being brought to bear in rural areas there may not reflect rational eco or health requirements. People are being squeezed out. The largest city in that valley (Kelowna) has an extensive tent city.
 
JBR said:
That valley (Okanagan) is several mountain chains west of where I live. I've travelled through there a lot, and lived there part of winter 2022. Still, it's not where my home is. But I'll say this. From what I know, the developers have gained complete control of the regional government there, and the local governments in several of the towns & the largest city. Developers are getting quite wealthy there.

A consequence is that tracts of $800K homes on small lots has become typical. Young couples & families have a hard time getting a foothold there. I don't claim to know all, but I'm prepared to entertain the thought that the regulations being brought to bear in rural areas there may not reflect rational eco or health requirements. People are being squeezed out. The largest city in that valley (Kelowna) has an extensive tent city.
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I think all our governments are paying lip service to 'their concern about the homeless' but are happy to make deals with those developers behind closed doors'. I lived in 'the projects' for a few years of my childhood and compared to the one bedroom basement suites we'd lived in before that, we were grateful. It became a springboard to my mother 'bettering' herself.

Why aren't municipal governments insisting on some builders building simple homes without all the fancy bells and whistles so that people have a chance!
 
Debrah N. said:
Why aren't municipal governments insisting on some builders building simple homes without all the fancy bells and whistles so that people have a chance!
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I've been on SF long enough to have picked up some info from the Americans here. I realize there are 50 states and many regions & localities in the US, but I get the sense that this sort of issue is present in at least some parts.
 
Pi :

Building restrictions can definitely be a challenge when it comes to increasing the availability of affordable housing and reducing homelessness.
Often, restrictions on zoning, density, and building codes make it difficult and expensive to construct new affordable housing units. This can limit the supply of available housing, driving up prices and making it more difficult for low-income individuals and families to find stable and affordable homes.
Additionally, the process of obtaining permits, complying with regulations, and dealing with community opposition can be time-consuming and costly for developers, which further discourages the construction of affordable housing.
However, it's important to note that building restrictions are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to addressing homelessness and housing affordability. Factors like income inequality, lack of access to social services, and discrimination also play significant roles in these issues. šŸ”šŸ’°

Other factors related to building restrictions that can impact homelessness and housing affordability include:
  1. NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard): Some community members may oppose the development of affordable housing in their neighborhoods due to concerns about property values, safety, or changes to the neighborhood's character. This can lead to further restrictions on where and how affordable housing can be built.
  2. Limited funding: Government funding for affordable housing is often limited, which can make it challenging for developers and non-profit organizations to finance these projects.
  3. Long approval processes: In some areas, the process of obtaining permits and approvals for affordable housing projects can take years, which delays the construction of much-needed housing units.
Addressing these challenges will require collaboration between policymakers, housing advocates, and community members to find creative solutions and balance the needs of all stakeholders. ( lifeholders )šŸ—ļøšŸ‘„
 
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I personally am in favor of ordinances about proper handling of human poop, though having had a couple of septic systems I know they cost a significant amount of money.
 
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JBR said:
I've been on SF long enough to have picked up some info from the Americans here. I realize there are 50 states and many regions & localities in the US, but I get the sense that this sort of issue is present in at least some parts.
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The issue of not enough housing is rampant all across Canada. Housing costs here are through the roof in a couple areas. I'd hate to be a young person trying to get started these days. Facing a possible $800,000 mortgage for a wreck of a house in some jurisdictions. Even a down payment would take forever to save up for far too many.
 
Debrah N. said:
I think all our governments are paying lip service to 'their concern about the homeless' but are happy to make deals with those developers behind closed doors'. I lived in 'the projects' for a few years of my childhood and compared to the one bedroom basement suites we'd lived in before that, we were grateful. It became a springboard to my mother 'bettering' herself.

Why aren't municipal governments insisting on some builders building simple homes without all the fancy bells and whistles so that people have a chance!
Click to expand...
I completely agree and have said similar. They have built low income apartments in my area. However, what about those kind of in-between. With all the stupid mistakes I've made, I worry what will happen to me.

There have been fires and all these little plots of land that were for sale for years, got purchased and stuffed with apartments. No new condo's. No new mobile parks.
 
BC officials are being unreasonable. Why can't they just be given time to bring it up to code? I hope they have found some legal aid and/or have reached out to their local polticians about this. Not that it will always help. Many politicians only care about those who are aligned with them.
 
The same here in Germany. On one hand the government (especially the Green Party) wants that the people build smaller houses (if at all!), on the other hand the regulations are so many that it is very complicated to build even a tiny house. Only one example in the bucket of sh.t in my country.
 
You canā€™t legally get electricity without a septic system. This prevents people from doing what these people are doing. I donā€™t believe it was the composting toilet the government agency had a problem with. It seems like they were emptying their wastewater into a nearby stream.

Itā€™s sad that farmers empty all kinds of pesticides into water systems and never get caught. It happens every spring.

Hopefully someone reading their story can help get them up to code.

It really IS a shame that poor people canā€™t get a break. Tiny homes are perfect for people on a low budget who canā€™t afford otherwise.

Why not give homeless people a break?
There was a guy making tiny homes and giving them away to homeless families who desperately needed them. Unfortunately the government got involved and found something to stop him. Just why?
 
I periodically watch HGTV's Tiny House episodes because I find it interesting how the builders incorporate such cool space saving features. Some of those homes are luxurious. That led me to reading articles about tiny homes. A few of them warned of the problems such owners could face with zoning restrictions. Before building tiny homes, there needs to be thorough research on the laws and restrictions in the desired location. Some of the tiny home owners were lucky enough to be able to put their homes on expansive properties owned by relatives.
 

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