# Tiny House village



## ponycountry (Jan 9, 2014)

As I have begun my downsize to a tiny house and thinking about selling my place here in Arkansas, I came up with the idea that perhaps this place would make a really cute tiny house village. I have 10 acres here, with the old home at the very front of the property and the way the property is with its little knolls and woods, pastures as well as seasonal creek and pond it could easily have about 7 tiny houses stuck in such ways that each would have their own privacy as well as spot for gardening etc. I am close to town but in the county so just checked this morning and I do not have any zoning that will prevent this IF I wanted to pursue it. I don't know if there is any interest in such a place in the central part of Arkansas where a person could park a tiny home, have room for a garden and maybe a few chickens, even a goat, and have access to being able to enjoy the property around...maybe wood for a wood stove out of the woods and if the pond was stocked fish on occasion, plus I think in time I could make a great walking trail around the property. Make a nice community especially for those like myself who are on their own and getting closer to retirement and want country life but not way out in the boonies either and can't afford to carry a hefty mortgage into retirement so wanted a very reasonable spot to park a tiny home. Just a thought and I was wondering if anyone in the homesteading community has done something like this at all or if someone would even be interested in moving to such a place. Thanks in advance for your input.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Sounds like a good idea to me if you have the means to pull it off. I would think each place would need to be built with all the storage you could possible do. And nice but simple inside ie nice bathroom, nice simple kitchen, maybe a sitting porch, each would have to have a yard and place to park and pet friendly. Maybe the main house could be the managers house/grown keepers place. I would think living small means I dont want to cut grass and weed wack.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Hi there. Interesting that you are thinking of that. Tiny Houses are starting to get more in view.

Check out http://tinyhouselistings.com/ It has a section that is where advertising is done for places that will allow Tiny Houses. It is sorta difficult to find a place to park or build one.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I'm planning a tiny house myself, and I was just thinking the other day that I wish there were places like that. All the RV parks and a couple of small places that were trying to get set up as tiny house parks that I've seen are jammed right up against each other, no privacy, no yard or garden space, no way to get away from noisy kids right outside, no outdoor clothesline, barely room to park one car without even room for visitors. 

If you could set it up the way you talked about, I think it might be a pretty good draw, but I think you'd have better luck renting or selling spaces to people with their own tiny home rather than having them premade, or maybe a combination of the two. I think they're going to keep getting more popular, and people will be looking for just such a spot, rural but not isolated, with their own little space but yet with others near enough for help or company if they wanted, and I think most would prefer their own home customized to their needs. Well, at least I know I would, lol, but that's part of the big draw of the tiny house for me, having it customized just to fit me and my needs. 

Personally, I wouldn't go to Arkansas, but then I'm wanting to get somewhere cooler and either near the ocean or the mountains. If I was going to stay down south, I might as well stay on my own 5 acres which is already paid for. But I bet a lot of people would love to live in Arkansas, especially coming from flatter, drier states or as a change from up north. It's very pretty there, a pretty good place to garden, and plenty of city things close enough to see and do if they're so inclined. 

If I could find something like that in the Pacific Northwest, I'd jump on it, lol!


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## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

Sorry, this is not to say your idea isn't a good one. This is just my personal opinion.

IF you want to put multiple tiny houses together / same area there already is a name for this.

It's called Apartments which are what city folks call home and live in..They seem to think it's great to have multiple families / groups of people living in the same area.
Sharing the same garden if available, even though some will never set foot into the garden they all expect something from it.
Oh and it seems that most of them also have storage units to store all the stuff that doesn't fit into their tiny houses/apartments

Again this is not to discourage you, it's just my opinion. You do what you want with YOUR property. As you can tell I don't like the idea, unless you are doing it as a getaway/camp ground type deal, for income.


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## itsb (Jan 13, 2013)

I don't like to,down others dreams,BUT a couple things.
1-7-8 houses on 10 acres = very close
2-7-8 houses on 10 acres = very little wood to cut per house
3-7-8 houses on 10 acres = very little room to walk around 
4-7-8 houses on 10 acres = WAY TOO CLOSE FOR ME

good luck if you go that way


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## ponycountry (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks for the input. I agree 7-8 is close, but figuring tiny house as in being no more than an 8x20 flatbed trailer size usually, if each took up about a half acre space which would leave each with a small place to garden, have a chicken pen, compost pile etc. The rest would be open and more natural, like the woods and pond. The lay of the land would allow about 6 without them being in sight of each other for the most part...no staring in each others back yards kind of thing which I hate myself. So I wouldn't think of it as an apartment style at all. More like a subdivision of half acre lots with green space around each. I read that it is hard to find parking for them, but mostly that is on the coasts where land is tied up in rules and regulations, if this was in any of those areas it would fly I am sure, but here in Arkansas I was just curious if it would be of any interest at all. Callie I was really thinking in terms of people bringing their own tiny house to the site as I am with you much prefer to design my own as I am doing. The main house I have considered could go to someone who would do the maintenance or it could be a club house type thing where everyone can enjoy a place to hang out, do laundry (most tiny houses don't have room for those) etc. I have read some tiny house forums and this very idea has been thrown around by several but haven't really seen it catch on perhaps due to the areas where they want to be are too regulated. Anyways it is something I am mulling over and I really appreciate everyones response  Thanks


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I would think tiny house camp parking would need to be set up near some natural fixture like lake, ocean, mountains, fishing, river, some kind of attraction. People traveling ? People workings? Jobs? Like the new gas fields. I mean how many people have a tiny house movable in the country that would just hook up and move together?


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## ClubMike (Nov 18, 2004)

I think if you are the owner of said property you would be taking a huge liability risk. What if someone got hurt in the laundry house? Why they could sue you and take your dream away. You could buy insurance to protect yourself however that may be very expensive. 

One way I could see this as maybe working is to build a rural campground and lease the sites and this may prove to financially difficult. I understand your desire to live with like minded folks however, you do not want the liability of it all. 

Maybe you can sub divide your land sell people 1/2 acre and take away the liability from your side. I would not want to risk a lawsuit when people get hurt.


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## ponycountry (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks Mike, you expressed a real concern that I need to consider if I were to move forward with a project like this.


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## sbonner (Sep 1, 2014)

I would be extremely cautious -- from the point of view of someone potentially willing to MOVE TO such a place, and here's why:

1. There have been 'tiny house village' and even homestead attempts in the past and they imploded. On one hand, most municipalities don't want you to have more than 'x' residences on a single plot of owned land, regardless of how large that land actually is. On the other, there can be a lot of distrust between the people who move in and the people who own the land. In one homesteading case, the landowner decided he wasn't making enough income so he started charging rents (which wasn't a part of the original deal) and, in general, using his property ownership rights to take advantage of people.

2. There is a gap between who actually participates in the tiny house movement and who will actually benefit from it. Tiny houses are awesome, but they are a pet project for people who already own a large primary home. Most tiny house builders do NOT live in them. The people who would happily live in them often do not have the money to build or purchase them (especially when you consider the current commercial market for them are making models that clock in at around 60 to 80,000 dollars). You can't get loans for them, and I highly doubt you can actually insure them. When you just want to live simply -- enjoying a garden and maybe a few animals -- and don't have a lot of money on hand, that makes them a terrible, terrible investment.

You would have better luck making it a 'vacation spot' like a tiny house hotel -- which is precisely what most tiny house villages end up being. It's sad, because I would LOVE to live in one full-time and be able to just be self-sufficient. 

3. * Arkansas. No. Just, no.* Good for you if you own the land and all, but...



Spoiler



Let me elaborate. I live in NW Louisiana, and work in IT/telecom. I needed a job, so I was checking out Arkansas as a place to possibly move and work. During my search, I discovered that Arkansas is the ONLY STATE IN THE COUNTRY where it is legal to knowingly put a renter into a dangerous or condemned home, without disclosing the fact and without the responsibility to fix it. Having rented an apartment with black mold (and developing a respiratory issue) before in Arizona, this terrifies me. Thinking about the implications of this -- of not being responsible of ensuring that a house is capable of being heated, cooled, or have potable water if you have elderly tenants or children on site -- is chilling to me. If that were not enough, Arkansas also -criminalizes- the civil eviction process. Not only do you not have to prove you posted an eviction notice if rent is 1 day late or if you are RETALIATING against a renter for reporting a condemned house (also legal, Jesus Christ), but in ten days, you can have that person put in jail. Arkansas levies HEAVY fines for 'not guilty' pleas if you do not have the money to pay the supposed due rent and legal fees up-front. It is an abusive, third-world system that is specifically designed to jail and rob the poor (because often, people have to abandon their property to landowners to avoid jail). 1,700 people go to debtor's prison in Arkansas a year. 

I am a good renter and have always paid my stuff on time (except the black mold place, where I was forced to break lease and settle up after the fact -- sorry, health > money). But until the laws are changed in that state, I refuse to allow any of my income tax or local economic production to go towards supporting such a backwoods and evil system of law.


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## ponycountry (Jan 9, 2014)

Sbonner thanks for your input, actually much of what you said I did not know so you certainly gave me an eye opening. 

My goal was not to take advantage of anyone, I figured there might be a few people out there like myself who were looking to have a simpler life, wanted to downsize to a tiny home and not cost a fortune to put it somewhere. I know my Arizona property will not allow a tiny house community but was surprised to find out in Arkansas I could in fact do something like that and not have the county upset. However that same lack of regulations is what causes the situation of rentals being unsafe etc as you pointed out. 

Again thanks


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I love the idea. If I knew that I would have the same mindset as everyone else, I think it would be perfect.

But probably can't work in a real world.


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## siberian (Aug 23, 2011)

Just an idea. if it were ran like an all year camp ground, pay so much and get this area, pay your own utilities. Then had a common area where folks could rent and sell there products. Any at home buisness is charged more than someone that is retired or just living there, not making an income from there.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Hmmm... wheel's turning....

How would you do the septic and water? Would you put them in (one per tiny house), or would the "renters" be responsible for that? 

I'm thinking that, unless you are on city water and sewer, that'd be a pretty hefty investment.


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## popeye (Oct 9, 2014)

ponycountry said:


> As I have begun my downsize to a tiny house and thinking about selling my place here in Arkansas, I came up with the idea that perhaps this place would make a really cute tiny house village. I have 10 acres here, with the old home at the very front of the property and the way the property is with its little knolls and woods, pastures as well as seasonal creek and pond it could easily have about 7 tiny houses stuck in such ways that each would have their own privacy as well as spot for gardening etc. I am close to town but in the county so just checked this morning and I do not have any zoning that will prevent this IF I wanted to pursue it. I don't know if there is any interest in such a place in the central part of Arkansas where a person could park a tiny home, have room for a garden and maybe a few chickens, even a goat, and have access to being able to enjoy the property around...maybe wood for a wood stove out of the woods and if the pond was stocked fish on occasion, plus I think in time I could make a great walking trail around the property. Make a nice community especially for those like myself who are on their own and getting closer to retirement and want country life but not way out in the boonies either and can't afford to carry a hefty mortgage into retirement so wanted a very reasonable spot to park a tiny home. Just a thought and I was wondering if anyone in the homesteading community has done something like this at all or if someone would even be interested in moving to such a place. Thanks in advance for your input.


Hey PC, I have no idea which county in AR you are, but just something you might check into; I have a good friend down here who sold some land a ways back thinking he'd never do anything with it or wouldn't amount to much but he got a good offer on it and made a little on the sale. 

A few years later gas was discovered near there and became the Terryville gas field ... the buyer now and maannny around that area are millionaires plus some. Sometimes it's hard to predict what's around a corner. I do like where your pondering those ideas have taken you and wish you huge success no matter what you do.

Pop


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## FrugalFannie (Jul 29, 2012)

There is a large call for places to park tiny houses. Not sure if your area is one of them but the concept is good. Check the tiny house groups on Facebook. Also, talk to an attorney about leasing your land for such an adventure. You need to know 'tenant' laws for your state and whether the state makes it difficult to get rid of tenants not paying their rent.


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## Aokie (Jul 7, 2015)

Hi ponycountry-was wondering what you decided about the tiny house village in Arkansas? Im looking to move to Ar next year and am exploring options.


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## shellbug (Jul 3, 2005)

Ponycountry - I think this is AN EXCELLENT IDEA! I am originally from southeast missouri and live in FL now. I am planning a friendly divorce about the time all my kids get through high school. I will be building a tiny house before that and plan to travel year round. Someday, however I will be too old to do the driving and would like to settle in my tiny house somewhere with a shared community. Your idea is lovely and would work well for many. I saw a video recently on such a small community on a large house-lot (I think in Portland area). There was the main house with laundry and shared kitchen and for meetings as well as 4 or 5 tiny houses and mini gardens just on one house lot. It was great! Good luck!


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I love the idea of a "main" house and several TH on a city lot. Would have city water and sewer that way. A large lot could have a few TH's and a nice community garden. LOVE this idea. I wonder what the zoning would be, though? Would have to be "multi-family"?


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Hahaha. On the other hand, the amish do it that way all the time, don't they? With their "grandparents house", etc.


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## urban gleaner (Jan 23, 2014)

cc-rider said:


> I love the idea. If I knew that I would have the same mindset as everyone else, I think it would be perfect.
> 
> But probably can't work in a real world.


Actually yeah, I've seen articles/vids on at least one tiny house village, but it was intown. I think it was on youtube. I need to go find it again.

Tiny houses can be considerably less to build, if you diy it-IF you know what you are doing ie electric and plumbing. BUT you spend alot of your time outdoors. Which makes winters with snow/cold/ice a nightmare. And live by yourself. And they dont work at all well for someone who is handicapped.


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## KsSunflower (Jul 12, 2015)

There was an article in a recent Grit magazine that included a tiny house community like shellbug mentioned, maybe the same one. The large house was used by all - bathroom, kitchen, etc. Each th was tucked into a spot in the back yard with enough plants to provide privacy. Each th had water for cooking, a place to eat and sleep, and some storage. Might be better for a worker or someone that is gone a lot.

The requirements for septic systems would need to be addressed. Here, they require a certain amount of land for each one. If it was planed right
maybe one system could be used for several. And there could be no gardening, etc over the laterals.

Yep, lots of details to consider.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

It would certainly be easier if it was within a community that had public septic systems, but it is hard to find a big enough chunk of land within a city/town. The idea of a common house for a bath house would be nice, but I think I'd rather have my own toity. LOL. May be an age thing. Not too keen on composting toilets, either. I've gotten spoiled, unfortunately. (And I hate to admit that!)


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

Your septic situation would be made much simpler by using composting toilets and running everything else to well a few well mulched tree beds. I like having my own toilet, too. I dare say in a real life example of this kind of neighborhood, though, even if not everyone wanted to deal with emptying/cleaning the composting toilets SOMEONE in the group would be willing to do that job for everyone else in exchange for using the resulting compost. I know I'd be tickled pink if 10 of my in town neighbors now decided to put in my saw dust bucket toilets even if it meant I collected them from their porches and returned cleaned buckets... But I'm just greedy that way. :whistlin:


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Wow....I wished I lived near you! I'd take you up on that offer.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

I live part time in an offgrid community or whatever you want to call it now. Its everyone for themselves though and the homestead is still REAL rough around the edges. 3 households scattered around as many acres. The other several acres are dedicated to wildlife and woodcutting. Its not a retirement friendly life at all.. Mostly younger folk.


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