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Please Support Tiny House Zoning in Great Barrington, MA this Thursday, March 7

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The town of Great Barrington, MA is considering adding Movable Tiny Houses, or Tiny Houses on Wheels, to their zoning regulations, allowable as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

As proposed, movable tiny houses will only be allowed as an ADU which means there has to be a primary dwelling.  A 2/3 majority at town meeting will allow them.

The Thursday meeting agenda includes a Citizen’s Speak Time, where those who live in Great Barrington can share their thoughts.  Those who don’t live in Great Barrington but would like to show up in support of legal tiny houses may also attend the meeting.

This meeting will address movable tiny houses.  Tiny houses that are on a foundation are already permitted as an ADU under the current bylaw and would need to meet the stretch code adopted by GB.  The planning board is also seeking to increase the allowable number of ADUs to two.

 

 

This is the proposed added language to the Great Barrington Zoning Bylaws:

To Section 11.0 Definitions add:

Movable Tiny Houses (MTH)

A structure intended for the separate, independent living quarters of one household for year-round residence that meets all of the following:

            (a) Is licensed and registered with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles;

(b) Meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 119.5 requirements, and certified by a qualified third party inspector for ANSI compliance;

            (c) Cannot move under its own power;

(d) Has not less than 150 and no more than 430 square feet of habitable living space, excluding lofts;

(e) Is designed and built using conventional residential building materials for windows, roofing and exterior siding.

ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT: a subordinate dwelling unit on the same lot as a primary single family or two-family residential use, with provisions for independent cooking, living, sanitation and sleeping. (Add) A Movable Tiny House (MTH) connected to electricity, water, and sewer or septic that has its chassis, wheels and hitch concealed shall be considered an accessory dwelling unit.

(This proposed language may have been updated by the time the meeting takes place).

 

Please attend:

GREAT BARRINGTON PLANNING BOARD MEETING

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019 6:00 PM

Great Barrington Fire Station

37 State Road, Great Barrington, MA

Read the Meeting Agenda here.

Where Can I Put My Tiny House? A Near-Comprehensive List Of Tiny House Parking Resources

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Where Can I Park My Tiny House?

This is a question we get almost every day.  Often, your town won’t have already considered whether to allow tiny houses as year-round residences: it just takes someone to ask.

Start out by looking at the zoning laws in your own town.  B&B Tiny Houses are built to RVIA standards, which legally classifies them as RVs.  If your town or city doesn’t allow RVs, then you can either ask your planning board or go to another town.

Here’s a blog post on how to read your town’s zoning and what to look for when buying or renting land for your tiny house.

arcadia tiny house

Networking is a common way people find spaces for their tiny houses: start out on Facebook, Meetup, or in person at a tiny house festival.  By using personal networking rather than tiny house websites, you might find someone with land willing to rent a space to you who hasn’t previously heard about tiny houses or considered renting a small piece of their land for one.  Try Facebook Groups that are tiny house specific, or just general community groups.  Before agreeing to rent someone’s land, though, make sure both you and the potential landlord are aware of the tiny house legalities in that community.

Countrywide Resources on How To Find Legal Tiny House Parking

American Tiny House Association: A network of tiny house enthusiasts with resources for how to make tiny house living legal year-round in your own community.

Search Tiny House Villages: RV Parks, villages, and communities across the United States and Canada that allow tiny houses.

Try It Tiny: Short-term and long-term rental lots, often on privately owned property, for your tiny house as well as tiny houses for rent.

State and Region-Specific Tiny House Networking

This list was updated in April 2019 by adding new groups, deleting now-defunct groups, and improving formatting.  Did we miss anything? Let us know via email: info@bbtinyhouses.com.

AK Alaska Tiny House Enthusiasts
AL
AR Tiny House Living Northwest Arkansas
AZ Tiny House Community Living: AZ
CA SF Bay Area Tiny House Enthusiasts

Bay Area Tiny House – A tiny move toward a big change

Los Angeles Tiny House Enthusiasts

Meetup: Los Angeles Tiny Houses Community

LATCH Collective

Tiny Advocacy Network (Los Angeles & California)

LA Tiny Houses

Ojai Tiny House Community

CO Colorado Tiny House Enthusiasts
CT Tiny House Connecticut
DC DC Tiny Houses
DE
FL Tiny House Florida

Tiny Home Tallahassee

Hernando – Pasco Tiny House Group

Tampa Bay Tiny House Enthusiasts

Tiny House Alliance of Southwest Florida
GA Tiny Homes in North Georgia Mountains
HI Big Island Small Houses
IA Tiny House Iowa City
ID Idaho Tiny House Enthusiasts
IL Illinois Tiny House Co-mmunity
IN Midwest Tiny House Movement
KS Kansas Tiny Living
KY Midwest Tiny House Movement
LA Tiny House Louisiana
MA Greater Boston Tiny House Enthusiasts

Granby Going Tiny

Tiny House People of MA

Tiny House Enthusiasts of Western MA, Hudson Valley NY, and Southern VT

Meetup: Tiny Homes – Land, Sea, and Highway! (Falmouth)
MD
ME Maine Tiny House People
MI Midwest Tiny House Movement
MN Tiny House People in SE Minnesota

Wisconsin Minnesota Tiny House for All
MO Missouri Tiny House People
MS
MT
NC Tiny House Asheville
ND
NE Tiny House Enthusiasts — Nebraska
NH New Hampshire Tiny House Fans
NJ Meetup: Tiny Houses & Sustainable Living in NJ
NM Albuquerque Tiny House Meetup
NV Las Vegas Tiny House Meetup
NY Tiny House Enthusiasts of Western MA, Hudson Valley NY, and Southern VT

Upstate NY Tiny House Group

OH Midwest Tiny House Movement
OK Tiny House Collective Oklahoma
OR American Tiny House Association – Oregon Chapter
PA PA Tiny House Association

Tiny House Western PA

Philadelphia Tiny House Community
RI Tiny House Rhode Island
SC South Carolina Tiny House Enthusiasts
SD Black Hills Tiny House Meetup
TN TN Tiny House People
TX Dallas / Fort Worth: DFW Tiny House Enthusiasts Facebook

Dallas / Fort Worth: DFW Tiny House Enthusiasts Meetup

Village Farm Austin Tiny Home Community

Houston – Tiny House Enthusiasts

Austin Tiny House/Co-Housing Building Meetup
UT Utah Tiny House Enthusiasts
VA Virginia Tiny House Coalition
VT Tiny House Enthusiasts of Western MA, Hudson Valley NY, and Southern VT
WA Washington Tiny House Association
WI Wisconsin Minnesota Tiny House for All

Wisconsin Tiny House Enthusiasts

WV Tiny Houses and Off Grid living West Virginia
WY –

Are Composting Toilets Allowed in Massachusetts?

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Composting toilets and greywater systems can be a great solution for how to deal with waste water.  But are you allowed to use them on your own land in MA?

Spoiler alert: Like pretty much every code, there’s not a single easy answer that applies everywhere.

According to mass.gov, for residential homes: “Title 5 (310 CMR 15.000) allows composting toilets for Remedial Use and also certifies them for General Use in new residential construction where a system in full compliance with Title 5 could otherwise be installed. The local approving authority (typically the Board of Health) must also approve installation of a composting toilet through a Disposal System Construction Permit and Certificate of Compliance. Check with your local Board of Health for its approval procedures.”

Read all the details here:

Source: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/08/qm/comptoi.pdf

Note that this doesn’t apply to tiny houses on wheels– only homes that are permanently affixed.

In summary, Title 5 allows for conforming composting toilets and a greywater system in new residential construction where there could otherwise be a septic system.  However, this doesn’t mean it’s allowed in every town.  The local Board of Health will also have to approve it. 

Here’s how to get in touch with your local Board of Health in Massachusetts.

But wait: a composting toilet isn’t the only option for your tiny house!

B&B offers five different toilets for tiny houses on wheels: the best solution for you depends on where you’re parking your tiny house, whether it’ll move, what utilities are available and how often you’ll use your tiny house.  Check out this blog post on the 5 Types Of Tiny House Toilets.

 

 

 

Appendix Q “Tiny House Appendix” Advances in Massachusetts, August 2018

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Tiny House Appendix Advances in MA!

From the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) August 14, 2018 Regular Meeting Division of Professional Licensure (DPL):

Proposal Number 5-2-2018 – Consider adopting Appendix Q of the International Residential Code pertaining to Tiny Houses.

“On a MOTION by Rich Crowley seconded by Kevin Gallagher it was voted in the majority to advance Appendix Q forward as an amendment to the ninth edition of the code, independent of the tenth edition effort.

On discussion, Rob Anderson indicated that Board members should refrain from making changes to the ninth edition if the effort is to advance to a tenth edition based on the 2018 I-Codes. Jen Hoyt and Kerry Dietz agreed that it becomes awkward and confusing and, by their estimation, there still may be some issues to be resolved with other agencies relating to tiny houses and it makes more sense to review further as part of the tenth edition revision.

Following discussion, the motion was approved via a majority of Board members with Rob Anderson, Jen Hoyt, and Kerry Dietz voting in opposition.”

Next Steps:

According to Rich Crowley, board member of the MA BBRS, the next steps are for a public hearing in November and then a final vote.

“We’ve voted it in now it’s on to public hearing and final vote. After Tuesday’s vote I don’t anticipate any objection… In fact at one of our previous meetings there was one member, the architect, that voiced some opposition to micro units and this time she offered some positive feedback. The Proposal will return with a document that will more than likely get a unanimous approval as well. That should make it to the hearing and  to promulgation along with tiny houses.
…Once the hearing is over the following month we decide on all the items came in front of us at the hearing and vote up or down or move them somewhere but some form of action is taken at that following meeting. tiny houses are more than likely move forward. At that point it’s just two steps away from [promulgation].
Next it goes to Administration and finance. Once they sign off then it goes to the governor’s desk for signature. It takes maybe a day or two after that for the Secretary of State too publish it as a part of our first amendment to the 9th Edition of the mass building code. The date that gets published is the date of becomes Law so to speak.
I think we can get it all done by the first of the year pretty close. I have talked to lieutenant governor who’s very excited and wants to see it move forward. In fact when one of  governor Baker’s main themes is for affordable housing and that’s what this does. Give people a chance to get on that first rung of the ladder.”

Background Info:

What is The Tiny House Appendix?

Appendix Q addresses building code standards for small houses on foundations that have already been adopted into the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), including standards for lofts, stairs, egresses, and ceiling heights.  To be clear, the adoption of the Tiny House Appendix won’t completely legalize tiny houses in Massachusetts– that’s up to each city– but if it is adopted, it will provide a set of building standards for under 400 sq ft homes where they are legalized, and where they aren’t yet legalized, help legitimize tiny homes in the eyes of local building departments.  Appendix Q does not address tiny houses on wheels, as they are currently considered vehicles.

Read the Tiny House Appendix here.

Appendix Q in Massachusetts

Andrew and Gabriella Morrison have been instrumental in writing and getting the Tiny House Appendix adopted into the national 2018 IRC: now it’s up to each state, and then each city/town in each state, to adopt it into their specific building code.  Andrew presented at a Massachusetts BBRS meeting, introducing Appendix Q last fall.

Massachusetts BBRS Approves Tiny House Appendix: Here’s What’s Next

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Good news for tiny houses on foundations in Massachusetts!

Appendix Q has been voted through by the BBRS.

This is not the end of the Tiny House Appendix’s journey to adoption, but it was an important step.

The Tiny House Appendix has been voted through by the Massachusetts Board of  Building Regulations and Standards!  It is now being reviewed by other state offices.  If adopted into the state building code, IRC 2018, it will provide safety standards for building tiny houses on foundations in Massachusetts.

Read the previous blog post on Appendix Q in Massachusetts here.

At this point, there’s not much action the public can take except wait until it is reviewed.  We haven’t been given a specific time frame for when the Appendix would be adopted. Assuming it will be adopted, it will then be up to each city and town to decide to call tiny houses on foundations legal, a decision which will be based off existing code which might exclude houses under a certain square footage, etc. While there is still a lot of work to be done on a local level if this does pass, for now, we’re waiting.

Robert Anderson of the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards says:

“Board members voted to advance adoption of the tiny house appendix, at least conceptually.

Among other things, Governor Baker’s Executive Order (EO) 562 requires agencies to review all regulations to ensure that they are not burdensome and\or cost prohibitive. Additionally, Building Code Coordinating Committee (BCCC) mandates regulatory review to ensure that regulations do not conflict and\or duplicate requirements so as to cause confusion to the user or enforcer. Accordingly, the measure will be advanced through each process over the next month or so. At the same time, Board members have requested a review of all 2018 I-Codes for which they have jurisdiction with the thought of advancing the entire code to the more current documents (rather than piecemeal adoption).

Board members will not meet again until August 14th where the conversation will continue. In the interim, we will explore the likelihood of advancing the entire code or just pieces (i.e. Appendix Q).

I hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Robert Anderson
Division of Professional Licensure
Office of Public Safety and Inspections”

Background Info:

What is The Tiny House Appendix?

Appendix Q addresses building code standards for small houses on foundations that have already been adopted into the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), including standards for lofts, stairs, egresses, and ceiling heights.  To be clear, the adoption of the Tiny House Appendix won’t completely legalize tiny houses in Massachusetts– that’s up to each city– but if it is adopted, it will provide a set of building standards for under 400 sq ft homes where they are legalized, and where they aren’t yet legalized, help legitimize tiny homes in the eyes of local building departments.  Appendix Q does not address tiny houses on wheels, as they are currently considered vehicles.

Read the Tiny House Appendix here.

Appendix Q in Massachusetts

Andrew and Gabriella Morrison have been instrumental in writing and getting the Tiny House Appendix adopted into the national 2018 IRC: now it’s up to each state, and then each city/town in each state, to adopt it into their specific building code.  Andrew presented at a Massachusetts BBRS meeting, introducing Appendix Q last fall.

How to Make Money by Renting Out Your Tiny Home

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With New England’s quintessential towns and breathtaking scenery, it’s no surprise that many of our tiny home owners use the area as a second home for weekend retreats. Because these homes often sit vacant, owners will often rent out their tiny homes in order to share the tiny home lifestyle with newcomers and make additional income. The best part of renting your tiny house to others is that it’s easier than you would think!

How to Earn Extra Income with Your Tiny Home

If you’re thinking about turning your tiny home into an investment, then you’re surely asking yourself a lot of questions. How do I pick the best location? How do I find customers and manage my property? How do I ensure I make a profit? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.

Picking the Best Location

When determining where to place your tiny home, think about your future customers and what their needs are. Are the customers you’re trying to reach looking for a place to stay while they hike New England’s serene mountains or are they seeking the comfort of being close to some of New England’s most memorable towns? The best way to figure this out is through research and talking with members of the community that you’re interested in. The local inhabitants will know the most about the types of tourists that their town receives. In addition, growing your network and connections with the local community is a great way to help spread the word about your tiny home.

In order to find land after you already have an area in mind, you can use websites like Zillow or Landwatch to see available listings, but it may be worth it to contact a real estate agent. Like the local inhabitants, real estate agents will be able to give you the inside scoop of particular areas and tell you which areas they think will make the most lucrative investment.

But is it legal?

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question as it depends on the town’s zoning bylaws. The good news is that it is relatively easy to find out if you can have a tiny home in a certain area by checking the town’s online building code or by simply giving the town hall a call. Click here to learn more about finding out where it’s legal to have tiny homes. tiny home kitchen new england

Finding Customers for your Tiny Home

Get Connected and Engage

Just as it is important to get connected with the local community when finding a property, it’s as equally important when attracting customers. Word of mouth is a great way to attract customers. Another great way to become connected is by establishing partnerships with local businesses. For example, you may establish a partnership with a local outdoors shop where you agree to leave coupons for the shop on the bulletin board in your tiny home for guests to see in exchange for a standup ad poster in their store. Also, use social media to develop interest in your tiny homes. Encourage guests to share pictures of their experience in your tiny home. Allow others to see the magnificent time past customers have had in your tiny home!

Use Third Party Platforms

Websites like Airbnb, VRBO, FlipKey, and Homeaway are another great way to find potential customers. Try It Tiny is a tiny house-specific website for renters, landowners, and tiny house owners looking to rent out their houses.  What’s great about these platforms is that you don’t need to do anything besides build your online profile; the customers will come directly to you!

tiny homes bedroom b&b micromanufacturing

Maximizing Your Profit

It’s apparent that the quality and location of your tiny home are some of the driving factors that determine the price you are able to charge customers, but there are even more factors affecting the price and therefore interest of customers in your property. Below are some of the other most important factors.

Amenities and Competition

Amenities such as the size of the kitchen, wifi connectivity, or an outdoor sports court help determine the price that you are able to charge. In addition, it is important to analyze your competition to see what they offer and at what price. It is also just as important to make sure that you offer something that your competition does not–what makes your tiny home extra special? Is it the views from the property, the outdoor grilling area, or the luxurious fixtures?

Make Hospitality a Priority

Sites like Airbnb allow customers to give reviews to their hosts. These ratings are out of five stars and visible to all prospective customers. Low ratings will certainly deter prospective clients; likewise, high ratings with personalized experiences allow you to build trust with future customers. High ratings with personalized experiences are made through experiences that humanize the lodging experience. What will your customer remember about their experience? Was it your useful advice of things to do in the area, the complimentary welcome basket with a handwritten note, or your high level of responsiveness to your guests questions? Click here to learn more about how to be the best AirBnB host. 

tiny home investment additional income New England

Becoming an Entrepreneur

Now that you know more about the mechanics behind turning your tiny home into an investment, you’re one step closer to becoming an entrepreneur! Reporting to yourself and being able to make the decisions that impact your investment can be a very exciting opportunity. So, what are you waiting for?

 

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Tiny House Appendix Q Is Being Considered For Massachusetts’ State Building Code: Here’s How You Can Help

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Meeting Addressing Tiny Houses in Massachusetts’ Building Code

Last week on May 8, 2018, the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS), at its regular monthly meeting, addressed Proposal Number 5-2-2018: “Consider adopting Appendix Q of the International Residential Code pertaining to Tiny Houses.”  The agenda is here; minutes (an official summary of the meeting) should be forthcoming.  Along with Appendix Q, micro-apartments were also addressed.

This meeting was one step in the process of Massachusetts’ adopting the Tiny House Appendix into its building code, following the example of other tiny house pioneering states Idaho, Georgia, and Maine.   The next step after this meeting will be an internal vote within the BBRS (not a public vote), which will take place next month.  Before voting, the BBRS is accepting public comment on Appendix Q: the address is at the bottom of this post.

What is The Tiny House Appendix?

Appendix Q addresses building code standards for small houses on foundations that have already been adopted into the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), including standards for lofts, stairs, egresses, and ceiling heights.  To be clear, the adoption of the Tiny House Appendix won’t completely legalize tiny houses in Massachusetts– that’s up to each city– but if it is adopted, it will provide a set of building standards for under 400 sq ft homes where they are legalized, and where they aren’t yet legalized, help legitimize tiny homes in the eyes of local building departments.  Appendix Q does not address tiny houses on wheels, as they are currently considered vehicles.

Read the Tiny House Appendix here.

Appendix Q in Massachusetts

Andrew and Gabriella Morrison have been instrumental in writing and getting the Tiny House Appendix adopted into the 2018 IRC: now it’s up to each state, and then each city/town in each state, to adopt it into their specific building code.  Andrew presented at a Massachusetts BBRS meeting, introducing Appendix Q last fall.  Before last week’s follow-up meeting, Andrew said, “The last time I was there, the main question was why should tiny houses get “special treatment”: their own code provisions? I responded that it’s about safety. People are building tiny houses all over the place and with NO oversight. The appendix allows code enforcement to make sure that the tiny houses are built well and to safety standards. It’s about providing healthy, safe housing to millions of people who need it and don’t otherwise have access to it.”

Comments About Tiny Houses from the May 8 Massachusetts BBRS Meeting

Of the tiny house portion of the meeting, Richard Crowley, Chair of the Mass BBRS, said: “There were quite a few people who came to the front to speak. One lady was very animated and she was so cool she made everyone laugh. Very enjoyable speech. I put my two cents in and away we go. I don’t think [there will] be any problem next month getting a positive vote.  FYI if anyone wants to comment they can do so to the attention of Rob Anderson at the BBRS.”

Raines Cohen, a cohousing coach who attended the meeting, said “All speaking in favor but one comment afterwards during the micro homes referenced tiny homes and brought up concerns around disability access standards… Some informed questions, coming from the fire-chiefs head.”

Next Steps To Adopting Appendix Q

Richard Crowley of the Massachusetts BBRS said “the …[board] will meet in June to review all comments and possibly vote on any or all of the proposed regulations.
From there the proposed regulations go to an in-house meeting call BCCC or Building Code Coordinating Council.
From there it comes back to our administrator who forwards it to the governor’s office of administration and finance. They will review it and once reviewed they will either recommended it to the governor for Signature or send it back to our administrator and board to amend whatever issues they find with the language.
So [we’re] looking at a process that can take anywhere from a month to 6 months or more.”
The next Massachusetts BBRS meeting is on June 5, 2018** at 50 Maple St., Milford, MA.

Please Ask Massachusetts to Adopt The Tiny House Appendix!

The BBRS is inviting public comment on the tiny house appendix until June 1, 2018***.  Please write to:

Robert Anderson, Chief of Inspections- Building Division, MA Department of Public Safety

Email: robert.anderson@state.ma.us.

Letters: One Ashburton Place, Boston 02108

 

*The paragraph “Next Steps…” was added on 5/15/2018.

** The original date for the June meeting was June 12; now it is June 5.  

***As of 5/18/18, the comment deadline has changed to June 1.  

B&B Open House: Tour a Tiny House and a Tiny Studio, Eat Cookies, Visit the Museum of Dog!

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We are excited to announce we will be opening our tiny houses to the public for tours on May 19 from 1-4pm. In addition to touring the Stony Ledge Tiny House and the Brodie Tiny Office/Guest House/Studio, you will be able to see the new parklet we’ve built for the City of North Adams’ Eagle Street Project, purchase sweets from Mountain Girl Farm (they will have cookies for humans and cookies for canines!) and take a $5 tour of our new neighbor, the Museum of Dog.

The tiny open house will be at Windsor Mill, 121 Union St (Route 2) in North Adams, MA— your GPS will take you to the front entrance, but our tiny houses will be in the lot around the left side of the building on Canal Street, right across from the Museum of Dog.

If you’ll be coming from out of town, round out your day by visiting MASS MoCA down the street, taking a hike at Natural Bridge State Park (Massachusetts)or attend the evening Gala at IS183 Art School of the Berkshires. North Adams is a wonderful place to visit!