15th Edition of “NOAH News is Good News”

01 Jul 15th Edition of “NOAH News is Good News”

NOAH’s Featured Builder July 2019

Wahoo! NOAH is proud to announce that RJF Tiny Homes has been selected as the July 2019, Builder of the Month!!! RJF Tiny Homes, is a premium Tiny House builder located in Walkerton, IN. owned and operated by Rich Foreman. Their models feature High-end craftsmanship with quality materials and great floor plans! 

This particular Tiny Home Builder has a lot of experience! He has built near 90 Tiny Homes already! Everyone knows that having a builder with a tremendous amount of experience under his belt, ensures a quality built Tiny Home. That’s I’m sure, part of the reason his business is so productive.

To learn more about this amazing builder and the Tiny Homes he creates; visit his companies Facebook page!

So, congratulations for being selected as NOAH’s Featured Builder of the Month! As a small token of our appreciation we will be sending out a NOAH Swag Box to the Team at RFJ Tiny Homes! Be sure to take a photo and tag us on social media so that we know you’ve received it!

Living Tiny Legally in Sonoma County, CA

Here’s the situation:

So, I frequent a Tiny House Forum that has helped so many people get the answers that they need. TinyHouseForum.com is a place for people to share ideas, get answers to their many questions and also meet up with others who value living intentionally.

 I myself have been able to learn and contribute to helping others every time I enter the Forum. It is so rewarding to be able to help someone achieve their dream of living legally in their Tiny Home by offering help or providing answers or resources.

 Recently, I met a gentleman named Eric on the Forum. He was having trouble getting answers on living Tiny legally in Sonoma County CA. The building department there isn’t very keen on helping citizens live legally in their Tiny Homes, so no assist there. He would theoretically be the Caregiver of the person in the main house and he had heard that exceptions have been made, with the right circumstance.

Here’s the plan of attack:

 I wanted to help so I reached out to the building department/planning & zoning. They were adamant about never have they allowed a “Tiny Home” in their county. I was given an article that referenced how to do it, in their county. So, I sent it over to Deborah and Judy at the building department for their review and feedback. Still nothing, just crickets. Shocker.

The article states that you can in fact have a Tiny Home placed in their county if, and only if it is listed as a Travel Trailer or a Recreational Vehicle, and the intention of you parking your Tiny in the back yard of a house is because you are going to be providing Caregiver Services to someone living in the main house. Maybe this exception is also made elsewhere?

 It is still unclear whether you need to be related to the resident of the main house or not. Sonya Tafejian of Tiny House Consulting Sonoma County is on the front lines fighting the good fight and has graciously offered to help me help Eric. It is very frustrating that we as American citizens who work hard, earn the money to purchase a home for their family, are not allowed to put their home wherever they want.

Here’s the outcome:

In more than one state it is still legal to be drinking a beer walking down the middle of the street carrying a firearm, but Tiny Houses…that’s crazy. This is America! In some areas of this great nation alternative living is accepted as a viable home for the residents of the county or state, but there are still too many counties holding back from accepting new Tiny Home residents into their county. Tiny Home residents pay their taxes too!

More areas are becoming Tiny friendly every day, but a blanketed acceptance of Tiny Homes needs to happen across the US, yesterday. I take my hat off to the people fighting the legal fight for all of us to enjoy the fruits of their labors. These people are pioneers, there is no precedent!

The housing crisis is not going away. As time passes, its only getting worse. NIMBYists (Not In My Back Yard people) beware, we are not going quietly into that good night. Alternative housing is here to stay. So, the hold-out jurisdictions had better get on board with the program soon, lest we drive our Tiny Homes straight thru their counties and spend our hard-earned dollars in an adjoining, but more accepting areas that welcomes the revenue boost a higher population affords.

In conclusion, thank you to Sonya Tafejian for helping me help Eric find the answers that he needed. And for helping him prepare for the many steps it will require for him to be successful. Also thank you to TinyHouseForum.com for providing the platform that has already changed so many lives and allowed me to help people like Eric.

Where to find NOAH at upcoming Events!

[NOAH] Peoples Tiny House Festival

August 2 – August 416650 Midway Ranch Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, 16650 Midway Ranch Rd 
Fountain, CO 80817 United States + Google MapFind out more »

[NOAH] Great American Tiny House Show

August 3 @ 9:00 am – August 4 @ 5:00 pm110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA, 110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA 
Puyallup, WA 98371 United States + Google MapFind out more »