Are There Any Tiny House Communities?

Tiny homes are on the rise. Social media is replete with pictures of owners flaunting their pint-sized dwellings. There are half a dozen tiny living shows on the television. Even celebs are downsizing from sprawling mansions to smaller living spaces that don’t skimp on luxury. And it’s not hard to see why. The tiny house movement is a big trend at this moment. But more importantly, there are practical benefits attached to it.

 

Trimming down your living quarters is not just an environmentally-conscious decision. It’s also being seen as a passport to a debt-free life. As such, it’s a way to realize the great American dream of homeownership for many. Others are choosing tiny homes to declutter their life and live on the go.

For all that’s wonderful about the micro lifestyle, it does have its own challenges. The zoning laws and building codes can be tricky to navigate, with many of these regulations designed around traditional homes. So finding sites and neighborhoods to put up a tiny house can be quite a headache for homeowners.

The good news is, tiny home communities are sprouting across the country. From RV parks, backyard co-ops, and townships to rural communities, retirement villages, and pocket neighborhoods, these communities come in different shapes and forms. And they are allowing tiny homeowners to live among like-minded people without having to wrestle with zoning restrictions or private and public land-use laws.

That said, here are five tiny house communities that you’ll want to be a part of.

Lemon Cove Village, Near Sequoia National Park, California
Located in the foothills of the western Sierra Nevada, just at the base of Sequoia National Park, this RV Park has just about everything you’d need when living small. From necessities like power, Wi-Fi, bathrooms, laundry, and sewer hook-ups to resort amenities such as community garden, dog park, swimming pool, and a community clubhouse, residents get access to a boatload of features
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Besides tiny houses for purchase, they also offer monthly spaces for tiny homes. With plenty of outdoor activities, adventure sports, and dining spots in the area, there’s something here for everyone.
Park Delta Bay, Isleton, California

Claiming to be “the only legal tiny house community in Northern California,” Park Delta Bay is situated at the heart of the California Delta. The park’s zoning regulations require tiny homes to be certified as RVs and registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The park boasts of a small community that enjoys a peaceful lifestyle amidst lush green lawns and country club features. Amenities include a bathhouse, clubhouse, tennis courts, and volleyball court, to name a few.
Try to land a catch at the fishing docks on the San Joaquin River, head out for a wheeled trip in the Delta, or go on a local wine tour — there’s no shortage of recreational activities here.

The rent is inclusive of water, sewer, trash, and landscaping for common areas, while you have to pay for electricity, propane, and internet. The rental application will set you back by $39.99.

Green Anchors, Portland, Oregon
Built within a 7-acre eco-industrial art park, this community is perfect for artists and creative professionals seeking a rental space to construct their tiny house.

The cool thing about this community is that it offers not only space but also professional advice and assistance to get a tiny house project off the ground. You can stop, build, and then, move on or rent for long term. Starting at $350 per month, residents get amenities like water, electricity, on-site parking space, and gated security. With gyms, restaurants, pubs, and coffee shops nearby, you won’t be out of options.

So for those looking for a head start in their tiny house journey, this is the place to be!

LuxTiny, Lakeside, Arizona
Joining the small living movement doesn’t mean you have to forego luxe interiors or high-end amenities. With rows of mini luxury dwellings and the beautiful White Mountains posing in the background, LuxTiny echoes this belief. Spread across six acres and consisting 41 spaces and 19,000 square feet of a scenic walking path with benches, this is Arizona’s first tiny home community. Lease rates for lots fall anywhere between $329 and $379 and include water, sewer, and trash. Their first phase of plots is filled, but they are in the process of creating the second phase.

Airstream Park (Llamalopolis), Las Vegas, Nevada
Airstream Park or Llamalopolis — as some refer to it — has its biggest claim to fame as the place that Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh calls home. This urban RV park in Downtown Las Vegas is modeled on the iconic Burning Man festival and isn’t like any other tiny house community.

 

Residents are encouraged to contribute to the community, while communal bonfires, movie nights, potluck feasts, open mic nights, and other impromptu social gatherings are intrinsic to the life here. Not to mention, the gated park is only a few minutes away from pubs, restaurants, and casinos, so there’s plenty of activities to keep you busy.

Living here comes with amenities like TVs, Bluetooth connectivity, stainless steel interior, high-end appliances, and more.

There’s so much to explore!

According to Trulia, there are over 50 tiny house communities across the country, and more are coming up. Though our list scratches the surface of what’s out there, it’s a good place to start if you’re scouting for a spot to put up your tiny house.

Whether you’re a tiny house nomad wanting a temporary spot, or someone looking for a permanent stay, you can be sure that there’s a community for you.

5 Places to Park Your Tiny House Legally

A tiny house on wheels is a lifestyle involving constant change and inspired simplicity. It helps you save on taxes and maintenance but comes with its own set of challenges. Parking is one of them. In fact, one of the most common dilemmas for those interested in small space living is: “Where should I park my tiny house?”
Because tiny homes often fall in the legal grey zones, it may be difficult to know for sure which parking spots would be your best bets.

 

What makes things tricky is that there’s no strict definition of a tiny house. In most places, a “house” is a structure with a foundation, which is why tiny houses on wheels don’t qualify as a “house.” They are classified as RVs. So while most laws will allow you to park them on your property, treating them as your full-time dwelling might be illegal.

If that sounds confusing, don’t worry, it is! There are various legalities around recreational vehicles, local codes of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), local zoning, and coding regulations. Some of them can be quite constrictive. Plus, short-term and long-term conditions of parking differ from one state to another.
The good news is that local authorities and the International Code Council are rethinking the laws on tiny houses given their increasing popularity.

Until that happens, you must be careful of parking your tiny house responsibly. Here’s a rundown of five places where you can do so.

1. RV parks and campgrounds
If your tiny house has an RVIA certification, then you are legally allowed to park your micro dwelling in RV parks and campgrounds. This certification also means that national parks are legal parking spaces for you. However, some national parks do have size stipulations of entering and parking. The bottom line, therefore, is to conduct proper and thorough research to know where you can put up your tiny house without stepping on the wrong side of the law.

2. Online classifieds providing spaces
The internet and social media are the best friends of the tiny house movement. So it’s not hard to find supporters and like-minded people making parking spot available for tiny homes on wheels.
Websites like Craigslist, Nextdoor, and Meetup advertise available driveways, backyards by interested homeowners, and landowners willing to rent their lands for parking. These can both be for short- or long-term basis and offer a ready option for people to park their home on wheels. Just be aware of the local regulations and make sure you’re not breaking them.

3. Website listings
As we said, the tiny house movement is now a community initiative, where the online advocates are helping to connect homeowners and facilitating an infrastructure that will lessen parking hassles.
Websites such as those listed in the Tiny House Network, Tiny House Map and Facebook groups such as Tiny House Hosting are listing parking spots, available agricultural land on rent, parks featuring interactive maps and searchable databases for finding the perfect and legal parking space for your tine house.

4. Tiny house communities
Ever wondered how fantastic it would be to have a tiny house community? Well, pioneers with an aim to sustainability are sprouting communities that look much like campgrounds with shared gardens, recreation rooms, and garages, etc. While some landowners are leasing spots to tiny homeowners to establish a community of tiny houses on wheels, more and more states are opening up to legalizing the tiny houses. California, Oregon, Texas, North Carolina and Florida are some of the best places to park your teensy home.
Tiny house boondocking

This is the ultimate frontier in going minimalist and owning your micro lifestyle. If you want to leave the cityscape altogether, then drive your tiny house to the Wild West and look for a secluded vastness or wooded privacy. Again, be very sure that you are not trespassing on private property and second, be extra sure that your essential supplies are stocked. Also, there are directories and listings for boondocking locations across the country. Be sure to check them to avoid any legal trouble.

A tiny house lifestyle is a world apart from the usual routine. The lure of financial freedom and the promise of a simple yet exciting life is drawing many towards owning a tiny house. The range and scale of small dwellings are astounding these days. And more so, when we consider the tiny homes on wheels. However, the parking question often looms larger than anything else. The answer lies in doing proper research and staying connected with the community.

Finally, as long as you do your research and understand the legalities in your location, you can find a parking spot that’s safe and won’t attract any unwanted legal issue. Whether you’re a homeowner or an owner of other properties, or even just a young millennial aspiring for your own tiny house, we hope you found these tips helpful. If you never liked doing homework, however, we can help you on that front. Connect with us today for all your tiny house solutions.