The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's proposed rule to modify the Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations that define the total area of a park model home is under fire from tiny home occupants, Inquisitr reports.
Tiny home supporters see the new rule, which among other things, would define a park model as a structure not meant for full-time living.
Despite many jurisdictions already banning full-time RV living in park models, tiny home occupants see the move as a threat to the growing number of people taking up residence in small homes that sometimes resemble park models.
HUD’s new proposed rule would define an RV as “a factory built vehicular structure, not certified as a manufactured home, designed only for recreational use and not as a primary residence or for permanent occupancy.
HUD’s rule would require that units claiming the RV exemption display a notice that identifies the standards used to construct the unit and state that the unit is designed only for recreational use, and not as a primary residence or permanent dwelling.
If someone wanted to live in any unit on a full-time basis, it would have to meet standards set for primary residence dwellings. People are upset with the proposal that would go into effect this month and are leaving comments on the docket.
“Please do not modify current HUD rules to forbid using RV’s and tiny houses as permanent housing. Millions of Americans, by no fault of their own have become victims of an economy that makes permanent housing unaffordable. Additionally, many retirees and senior citizens downsize to RV’s for housing as a matter of choice, convenience and personal economy,” Brian Mink wrote.
“This is a blatant use of authority on a minority group,” Jen Loewen said. “Tiny homes and RVs and their owners are not causing any damage or harm but because you can’t make money off of them, you seek to abolish them. For some people it is the ONLY form of housing they have because cost of living doesn’t line up with poor wages. ”
“I live in an RV full time and have for a number of years,” wrote 55-year-old recent widower Jeff Stanford. “The job that I work does not really pay enough for me to find and live in a more permanent structure. As I will be retiring soon I am sure that I will not be able to afford to move out of my RV. Since my RV is not in a condition to be moved I feel that it should be treated more like a mobile, manufactured, home. This will put an undue financial burden on senior citizens and the retired. We have enough to worry about without you folk further meddling in our lives.”