The world is experiencing a homeless crisis. In developed and developing countries across the globe, people are struggling to afford their homes, ending up on the streets rough sleeping or ending up in inadequate housing—it is estimated that 2% of the global population is homeless, according to Yale University.

These variations can become problematic for measuring levels of homeless country-to-country, government-to-government, with no clear internationally agreed definitions. However, the stigma associated with being homeless and the lack of commitment from some government has also led to the homelessness crisis becoming more urgent to solve.

To tackle housing issues, which in turn lead to homeless situations, some local and national governments have invested in the production of small homes, also known as "tiny homes." Again, there is no standard explanation for what constitutes as a tiny house, though it is generally thought that it is under 600 square feet and usually built on trailers. However, some organizations in support of using tiny homes believe them to be permanent and built on foundations.

Since the global recession in 2008, millennials and newer generations have struggled to get on the housing ladder. But tiny homes offer them a new way of owning an asset and providing adequate shelter—the National Association of Home Builders in America found that half of U.S. citizens would consider living in a home that's less than 600 square feet, with higher numbers for millennial respondents.

But how are tiny home communities being viewed by governments and communities across the world? What lessons can be learned from others?

Regulation in the U.S. halting efforts to provide tiny homes to homeless

According to the Federation of Economic Education (FEE), U.S. state and local governments have been slow to implement tiny home communities because of a range of factors such as outdated regulation, refusal of planning permission and moving goalposts to prolong application processes.

Municipalities regulate housing based on minimum lot and minimum dwelling sizes, which can often exclude tiny homes. For example, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, housing advocates continued to hit roadblocks to push through efforts to use tiny homes as a living space for the homeless due to securing planning permission.

The state of Minnesota has seen 10% rises on homeless numbers since 2015, with Wilder Research estimating that there are 10,233 people considered homeless. According to Zillow, the median home value is $263,708 with median rent prices sitting at $1,600, which means it’s difficult to find affordable housing, and the problem is getting worse.

But, current regulations in Minnesota define a tiny house being under 400 square feet with minimum building permission requirements start at 500 square feet. While some jurisdictions allow for some buildings to be less than 400 square feet, many would not allow permission for the building of a tiny home. The state also has minimum requirements for small houses for ventilation, heating, minimum room sizes, sanitation, emergency escape and more—this could add more time and expense to projects, putting developers off.

Further, homes under 400 square feet are not necessarily suitable for some families, which pushes them into the housing category for prefabricated or modular homes, which have their own set of requirements and restrictions. Any prefab homes building plans need to be reviewed by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, which could prolong the development process if there is something deemed to be unsuitable.

If people also wish to build a tiny home that can move, they have to follow the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations.

Without progress in navigating these regulatory obstacles, the situation could worsen. Without more affordable housing, which tiny homes can provide, more people could become homeless.

California sees potential in tiny house communities

However, in San Jose, a housing community using tiny houses seems to have the approval of state governor Gavin Newsom. The project, done through HomeFirst and Habitat for Humanity, created 40 tiny homes measuring at 8 feet wide by 10 feet long. These homes had space for a small desk, a single bed and a few shelves, with communal facilities such as showers, a kitchen, laundry, a computer room and other services on offer.

The ultimate goal of this community is to help residents become self-sufficient and eventually transitioning them into permanent housing. Run by HomeFirst, people housed in these tiny homes are provided with resources such as healthcare assistance and career training up to 60 days.

Named the Mabury Bridge Housing Community, this development was the first of its kind and was funded from the State Emergency Housing Fund to help hundreds of homeless people in the city—there are estimated to be 6,000 homeless people in San Jose.

The Australian government wants to invest in tiny homes

Since Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government came into place, there has been a bigger focus on investing in tiny houses. Industry Minister Karen Andrews confirmed in 2019 that she wanted to see the prefabricated building sector to grow by $30 billion (AUSD) / 15 per cent by 2025.

The government has also set aside $2 million (AUSD) for an initial study into tiny homes. Undertaken by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, the study will look at the feasibility of tiny homes. The findings will be used to establish an innovation lab to assist manufacturers in the prefab housing industry.

Andrews said that while the building and construction industry would see an economic boost from the development, the government was also mindful of the cost of housing, saying that an entry-level new home could sell for as little as $40,000 (AUSD). This could provide a more affordable approach for Australian citizens and non-profits looking to create communities such as the one in San Jose.

There has also been a surge in tiny housing requests during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Sales of tiny homes in Australia have doubled due to people losing their income and wanting to move away from the city to avoid dense urban areas.

How can tiny house communities become the norm?

In cases where tiny homes have proved successful, there has been government investment, fewer regulatory restrictions and support from those in government. While many consider tiny homes to be a trendy fad taking over Netflix, the cases from California and Australia show that there is an appetite for smaller houses.

But these tiny home communities not only need building permissions and the navigation of legislation but also policies that support transitioning for homeless people to move to stable housing. These policies could include getting them back to work, coaching them on personal finance management or helping addicts rehabilitate.

This is where the California model has been successful—their aim isn't just to provide shelter to homeless people but to also help them have stability. In a time where rents are soaring and affordable housing becomes difficult to source, that's something everyone needs. – Sophia Waterfield

(Picture Credit: Unsplash)