Australian Tiny House Association (ATHA)

This is sending ripples through the tiny house movement. Let us know your thoughts.

Every year ATHA attends the Tiny Homes Expos across Australia to educate the tiny house curious. Each year, the expos grow in size dramatically. It is so eye opening to see the real need that the public have for affordable and eco-conscious housing options and that builders are responding. If you're curious - check out https://lnkd.in/dEUSv8uW. This weekend's expo is at the Mornington Racecourse in Victoria, come and say hi 👋

Did you know we have a monthly newsletter? It summaries the advocacy work we have been up to as well as general updates in the tiny house movement. Have a look at this month's newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gSZpDqE3 If you like what you read we welcome new subscribers and members here: https://lnkd.in/gxBQytTx

🌿🏠 Australia's Tiny House Movement is reimagining affordable living. In stark contrast to city homes often priced over 💲$800,000+, these minimalist, eco-friendly dwellings range from $50,000 to $180,000. They represent a shift towards sustainability and financial freedom in the face of an escalating housing market. Despite being classified legally as caravans, there's growing enthusiasm for placing these compact homes on vacant and private lands. This creative solution is gaining ground, offering a viable pathway to homeownership for many who thought it out of reach. It’s a movement that’s not just about living small but living smart. Championed by advocates and groups like the Australian Tiny House Association (ATHA) , the push is on to reshape legal frameworks, making tiny houses more accessible. This isn’t just a housing trend; it’s a community-driven initiative towards a more sustainable, connected way of living. Be a part of this transformative housing journey. 🌟 #TinyHousesAustralia #EcoFriendlyLiving #InnovativeHousingSolutions

Exciting news overnight! The Surf Coast Shire in Victoria has begun its pilot for Tiny Houses on Wheels for permanent occupation. This pilot will run until December 2026. This pilot happened after 3.5 years of advocacy and consultation between ATHA, the community and council. We'd like to thank Wayne Reid & Janine Strachan in particular for their efforts and the Surf Coast Shire Council for their vision. This is momentus, a great precedent for other councils to implement similar local laws. Read more about the pilot here.

⚠️ URGENT ⚠️ If you believe in the power of Tiny Houses to be a way for people to have safe and secure, longterm housing stability - please help us! The NSW Government is currently reviewing the planning framework for caravan parks, camping grounds, manufactured home estates and moveable dwellings. Read it here -> https://lnkd.in/dECax8Ut  Many of the proposed changes seem to amount to a knee-jerk attempt to ban tiny house living instead of a pro-active attempt to sort out a framework that people can use when they want a tiny house. Key changes include: - Maximum of one moveable dwelling per block of land - Maximum allowable size of moveable dwellings = 20m2 inclusive of surrounding structures (aka. decks, shade etc) without approval - A maximum stay of 6 months in one place without approval - Must notify the council 2 days before moving in If these proposals are allowed to pass into law, they will have a significant detrimental impact on the tiny house sector in NSW. There are more than 100 tiny house builders in NSW, employing many hundreds of people whose livelihood will be put in jeopardy. Dozens of farm stay and short-term holiday businesses will potentially be negatively impacted. Most significantly, everyday people who are living tiny because that is the most suitable housing option they have will be added to the already unacceptably high numbers of homeless people in NSW. Hundreds if not thousands of people will be forced into homelessness if they are not permitted to live in their tiny homes. These vulnerable people have chosen a tiny house as an affordable option and if this was taken away, they would be forced to sleep in their cars, on the streets, or pitch a tent because that would be easier than to move around every six months. Other jurisdictions are taking a more positive and pro-active approach to tiny houses. In Western Australia the Shires of Esperance and Capel have adopted tiny house specific planning policies and a few other shires are actively looking at similar approaches. Several local government areas in Victoria are consulting on or have implemented planning and local law reform intended to actively encourage innovative small footprint housing alternatives and have had the courage to recognise moveable tiny houses as being fit for purpose. Come on NSW, commit to understand how to integrate tiny houses into our community in a sensitive and cost-effective manner. Show some leadership and have the courage to come out and talk openly about the opportunities and constraints around tiny houses as a unique dwelling typology so that we can move forward to create more affordable, sustainable outcomes for everyone. If any of this concerns you, please make a submission to the review before December 15th. We are stronger together,  The ATHA Committee