Colorado is just one state involved in a rapidly growing tiny home revolution out west. Along with a blossoming population of tiny home owners, Colorado Springs is home to the 160-square-foot tiny house coffee shop Story Coffee Co. and WeeCasa, Colorado's tiny home hotel. In 2015, Colorado Springs was the host of the Tiny Home Jamboree, where over 40,000 visitors gathered to share their love of all things tiny.
Colorado's success as a "tiny home capital" is attributed to the company Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. The company builds 125 tiny homes a year, making it the most prolific manufacturer of tiny homes in the United States. Located in Colorado Springs, the influence of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has expanded to other states that have made progress in tiny home regulations, such as California, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Tumbleweed's human resources manager Justin Hall explained to The Gazette, "What the tiny houses do, they are mimicking a culture desire to get back to simplicity and quality of life."
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According to Colorado Springs' Development Assistance Bulletin 305, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) must be no more than 750 square feet and not exceed 25 feet in height. They are also limited to certain permitted zones.
"Manufactured housing is an affordable alternative to site-built homes," according to El Paso County, which allows manufactured homes as a housing option for their affordability. On the El Paso County website, the term "'manufactured housing' refers to factory-built homes that are built to UBC and HUD specifications, attached to an engineered permanent foundation and may have exterior features that can be found in site built homes." So as long as prebuilt homes fits proper standards, residents are allowed to live in them in specified zones.
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Other states are quickly catching on to the benefits of living tiny, and communities have been more open to using tiny homes as a part of a solution for affordable housing. Tumbleweed has hosted and continues to hold two-day workshops throughout the nation and Canada for those interested in tiny homes. Upcoming workshops are being held in Boston, Asheville, Atlanta, Portland, Sante Fe, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Chicago and even Toronto. The influence of Tumbleweed and Colorado's tiny-friendly attitude could mean that other locations will begin allowing tiny homes, or will at least make the first steps to starting the conversation.