I want to share an excerpt From Macy Miller’s blog post from her website regarding the ICC standard that is now being developed called ICC/THIA 1215 Standard –202x, Design, Construction, Inspection and Regulation of Small Residential Units and Tiny Houses for Permanent Occupancy. Macy has committed her time to every single public meeting and work group meeting as a voice for the owner builder, the heart and soul of the tiny house industry.
The committee has an imbalance of manufacturers and the interests of the owner builders and small manufacturers are not represented by the voting members of the OSMTH 1215 committee.
”I am finding that there is a time to be loud and there is a time to move in silence. There might even be some great tightrope walk to balancing the two, if there is, I feel like I might be walking it! To date, I have been loud and proud about all involvement in the tiny house world. At first, there was no industry so when industry emerged, there was a bit of wondering, “is this a good thing or a bad thing?”
Ultimately, at the time, I decided it was good. More visibility, more legitimacy, not everyone can or should DIY so these businesses popping up provide a path for people who can benefit from living tiny but who could or would never build themselves.
We have all lived in relative harmony for a bit over a decade now while popularity rose around tiny homes (and it has risen!). I think that time is over and I think we need to collectively start making efforts to keep industry in check so that they don’t take over this housing segment. That would absolutely remove the magic from the tiny house world and render much of its value moot. I can tell you I would not live tiny if I had to pay over $100,000 for it which is a conservative cost estimation by a couple builders of what it would cost to build my house. I’ll take my $12,000 cost of self building over that any day! ”
I have been moving in silence, advocating fiercely but quietly for owner builders. I think I need to start getting loud again though about preserving the important parts of this tiny house movement. Because, as I have always said, it is not actually about the house, it’s about the lifestyle it enables.”
Please Keep Signing And Sharing This Petition And Also Sign Macy Miller's Petition
Thank you,
Janet Thome President
Tiny House Alliance USA