EP 132: Unlocking Tiny Living: The Code Change That Could Legalize Your Tiny House on Wheels

Feb 19

Written By Laura Lynch, CFP® ABFP™ AAMS® CDFA®

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Are you a tiny house owner, aspiring DIY builder, or simply seeking affordable housing solutions? This episode of Less House, More Resilience is essential listening. Host Laura Lynch speaks with Macy Miller, a long-time tiny house advocate and architect, about the critical, and surprisingly simple, change needed to legalize tiny homes on wheels across the country.

Macy is fighting on the front lines of the International Residential Code (IRC) process, where language is currently being finalized that could provide a clear, legal pathway for owner-builders and jurisdictions alike. The key hurdle? The wheels and chassis. Historically excluded from the IRC's Appendix Q, this omission has forced many tiny homeowners into a legal "grey zone."

Learn why this code adjustment is so crucial, how it creates options for jurisdictions struggling with the housing crisis, and why the current momentum—with support from unlikely allies like the National Association of Home Builders—makes this the best chance to cement tiny houses on wheels into mainstream building code.

Key Takeaways:

The Mobility Gap: Discover why the current IRC Appendix Q (for tiny homes) does not legally address the wheels and chassis, and how this prevents widespread legalization.
A "Little Big Deal": Macy details the two streamlined proposals—performance-based and prescriptive—being pushed forward to fix this single, critical gap.
The 2030 Deadline: Understand the urgency of the upcoming April code vote and why now is the time to act to avoid a multi-year delay.
How You Can Help: Find out how to join the national email campaign targeting the 15,000 building officials whose votes will decide the future of tiny house legality.

Don't miss this deep dive into the regulatory world that determines where you can legally put your tiny home. Listen now and be part of the solution to housing affordability and resilient living!