Joseph Aguglia is sounding the alarm in Ross Township, PA. regarding the government overreach of potentially regulating single family homes to have a threshold requirement of 1,500 square feet for new and modified homes. It looks like an attempt to keep tiny houses out of the city. Joseph is a champion for tiny houses and we are blessed to have him standing up for housing and the rights of an individual to chose their housing based on their own need.
Joseph is running for Ross Township Commissioner, Ward 2 . Vote For Him On November 4, 2025.
Concern about tiny houses lowering the value of neighboring homes has Ross commissioners considering setting a minimum size for single-family homes in the township.
As proposed, all single-family dwellings, whether constructed or altered, would have to be at least 1,500 square feet.
But when introduced at a commissioners meeting Monday, Aug. 4, Commissioner Chris Eyster said he believes the requirement would be unconstitutional.
Establishing a minimum size, he said, is “arbitrary and capricious” and infringes on people’s rights to freely use and enjoy their land. The proposed ordinance also does not state a governmental interest or how it relates to one, he said.
Commissioner Joseph Muha raised concern about what “alteration” meant, such as if remodeling a kitchen would trigger the requirement. He said he counted 66 homes in his own neighborhood under 1,500 square feet — the smallest at 790 square feet.
“These homes already exist all over the township,” he said.
Resident Joe Aguglia said the size requirement could run afoul of the federal Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Dominic Rickert, community development director for Ross, said the proposed ordinance came from a discussion at a commissioners’ committee meeting about tiny homes, which included talk about establishing a minimum size so they would not affect property values.
A short summary of the issue is that there is a lot of misinformation that the city government is spreading about tiny houses.
1) They are confusing them with quick emergency shelters. One of the articles and newscast used images from Pallet shelters.
2) They fear that tiny houses will decrease property values which is completely false.
Appraisers rely heavily on comparable properties and comparable sales. Larger homes are compared to other similarly sized properties to maintain consistency in appraisal values. Factors such as room count, floor plans, and lot size are used to identify suitable comparisons.
For example, a 2,500-square-foot home is typically estimated based on sales prices of other homes with similar sizes and features in the same area. These comparable homes set the benchmark for determining the appraised value. Tiny houses should be allowed as single family dwellings, in cottage developments, and as an accessory dwelling units (ADU).
3) The city wants to preserve the character of the town by requiring larger square footage homes in contradiction that the Ross Historical Society has restored the famous Steward/Schalg Log House which is indeed a tiny house.
This famous 'tiny house' is 12 X 15 and was built around 1800. Larger houses were called mansions.
This Is An Example Of Why The Small Residential Unit Is Not A Positive Move For The Tiny House Industry
Positioning tiny houses under a 1200 square Small Residential Unit will add even more confusion to the industry and will give a jurisdiction less of an incentive to lower minimum requirements to allow tiny houses that are 400 square or less.
Janet Thome President
Tiny House Alliance USA
janet@tinyhouseallianceusa.org