Tiny Houses

Tiny houses, which are compact living spaces typically ranging from 100 to 400 square feet, are increasingly becoming a popular housing option. By 2028, the global market for tiny homes is projected to reach $25 million (USD), growing at an annual rate of 3.5 percent.

In 2024, the city of Atlanta initiated a program transforming shipping containers and a former parking lot to house formerly unhoused individuals, successfully moving more than 1,500 people indoors from the streets. Similarly, Austin, Texas, has established a community of tiny homes for 370 previously unhoused individuals. In Multnomah County, Oregon, the Clinton Triangle tiny home village has been set up to help unhoused individuals reach the goal of stable housing. Of the 459 people who have left the village, 69 percent have moved into permanent housing.

Advocates of tiny homes highlight their affordability and environmental benefits. However, some are concerned about the potential impacts of their rapid adoption on land use, which is not yet fully understood. The challenge is further compounded by city and county land use regulations that complicate or outright prohibit the legal development and habitation of tiny houses. Planners should anticipate an increase in tiny home communities and villages as they gain traction. This will open new opportunities for affordable and sustainable housing, but requires careful consideration of future land use implications.