‘Can you actually live in a Tiny House?’ That’s the question I’m asked most often. And next: ‘Where can you do that?’ There are a lot of cowboys stories going around: that it’s impossible to have a Tiny House that fits the Building Decree, to name one thing. Or that Tiny Houses are required to be connected to utilities. Both aren’t true. So, it’s time for a blog to show that you can live in a Tiny House, and better still, that it’s already happening. Legally, that is!
Much has already been written about the legislation that affects living legally in a Tiny House, so I’ll just give you two links to useful and relevant blogs (only available in Dutch):
Building Decree : Tiny Houses en bouwregelgeving
Applicable legislation: Legaal Wonen In Een Tiny House
I find it more interesting to give you a list of Tiny House living projects that have already been successfully realized, with the cooperation of the municipality. Thus, if you run into a stubborn official who says it can’t be done, from now on you can hand over evidence that it can; and that he or she has colleagues in other municipalities that have already proven it so. This is about actually living legally, not about recreation. For these Tiny Houses, environmental and building permits have been issued.
Projects for permanent housing
BouwEXPO Tiny Housing Almere
Partly permanent and partly temporary. The houses are connected to public utilities, but the completely self-sufficient Tiny TIM also has a (temporary) place here. More info: http://www.bouwexpo-tinyhousing.nl/
Tiny House street Hardegarijp
Five Tiny Houses in a row, connected to utilities and eligible for a mortgage. This project from Mill Home in cooperation with Hardegarijp municipality has been granted a period of 5 years in the first instance, but with the intention to make it permanent when it’s successful. For now, the municipality, the residents and the neighborhood are all excited. More info: http://www.millhome.nl/hardegarijp/
The Tiny House street in Hardegarijp
Tiny House neighborhood de Falgatuinen, Den Helder
Housing corporation Den Helder is realising 35 permanents plots for Tiny Houses with optional connection to water and wifi. Electricity and waste water disposal have to be arranged by the owners themselves. Building your own house is allowed. The build starts in June this year. More info: https://www.tinyfindy.com/woonlocaties/helder-verrijst-unieke-tiny-house-wijk/
Tiny House Techum
Ten permanent plots for Tiny Houses are being realised in Leeuwarden. All plots have been allocated and the build has started. More info: http://www.tinyhousestechum.nl/
Projects for temporary housing
Minitopia, Den Bosch
Housing corporation Zayaz has temporarily made space available since 2016 for experimental forms of housing on a plot in Den Bosch. In the meantime, Phase 2 of this project has started where Minitopia is being relocated and where 25 Tiny Houses can be lived in for a period of 5 years. More info: http://www.minitopia.eu/
Tiny village Tiny House Alkmaar
Municipality Alkmaar has issued an environmental permit for 5 Tiny Houses on their property, for a maximum of 5 years. All houses have been assigned their own address. More info: https://www.tinyhousealkmaar.nl/
Tiny village Proeftuin Erasmusveld in Den Haag
A project of Woonpioniers in cooperation with the municipality of The Hague and BDP. Five off-grid Tiny Houses can be lived in for a period of two years. More info: https://www.tinyhousebewoners.nl/over/
Tiny village Kleinhuizen, Nieuwegein
Just like in The Hague, project developer BDP has made land available for this project for a period of two years, in this case for ten Tiny Houses. More info: http://kleinhuizen.nl/
Natasja and Gerbrand in front of their gorgeous Tiny House in Kleinhuizen, Nieuwegein
Woldwijk, gemeente Ten Boer
This project takes it a bit further. The municipality has assigned an area where there can be experiments with alternative forms of housing like Tiny Houses and yurts, with a view to the new Environmental Act. More info: https://www.woldwijk.nl/
Projects in the making
Even though in the following examples Tiny Houses haven’t been placed yet, several municipalities have given the green light to housing projects with Tiny Houses. I’ll name a few: Midden-Delfland, Delft, Groningen, Lelystad, Almere Oosterwold, Westland, Beverwijk, Hengelo, et cetera. Check the map of Tiny House Nederland for an overview.
In case you head back to the municipality for another talk, take these two resources with you:
- The book ‘Tiny Houses’ by Monique van Orden. Better yet, make it a gift!
- The research report from the Stec Groep: ‘Klein wonen, trend of hype?’ (Or send them the link and save a tree ;))
Do you need more information to go to the municipality well prepared? In the online course ‘Your Tiny House – from dream to reality’ we spend no less than 3 lessons on finding a place to live, relevant legislation and communication with the municipality. You’ll find more information on the course here Good luck!
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