Another round of IRC?

In the last few weeks I have been sitting in on the ICC code meetings to help formulate a standard for full time residential units built on chassis.

– I’ll pause here for emphasis on that –

To date, even with the success on Appendix Q in 2016 and the codification of it into Appendix AQ in 2021, the wheels on a tiny house have been problematic. We looked at Appendix Q as an important first step, not a full on solution. There have been hurdles many are able to jump to approve wheels, but it was not yet a clear path to walk. Those efforts made some of the glaring issues like necessary head height reductions for DOT, the entire concept of sleeping lofts, and more, acceptable though. It was an extremely important step. Arguably a more difficult jump than the wheels.

The same reason that lead to the success of tiny homes, has led to their turbulence in code; and, rightfully so. By definition, wheels make tiny homes vehicles, not structures. In my experience, over the last 13+ years, there has been an evolution of feelings about tiny homes. Also a general disbelief that there was any longevity to this ‘fad’. Their word, not mine. I am pleased to see the wheels gaining legitimacy.

The early years – Ignorance was Bliss (2011)

Before I ever picked up a hammer in 2011, I tried to take the path to legitimacy via the local building department. There was no path. No opposition, either, but no path. Basically, it had not been done and so no one had ever needed to define how to do it ‘right’. I think they expected, and most people would have also stopped there.

To me though, it made too much sense. I could make it work out to be a net gain financially in a very short period of time (and this was before the crazy rental prices!). I could learn a lot in the process. I didn’t have to take a loan to do it if I stuck diligently to my budget. Perhaps most appealing, I could move out of my parents basement and continue my emotional recovery after life had a big old dance party on my heart! So, I picked up that hammer anyway and started making a path!

In my blogging I always tried to consider that my peers and code officials might be following along. My background in architecture specifically lead me to do this as close to code as possible. In the event I someday had issues to work out with the local jurisdiction. I took pictures, I pointed out necessary variances, and in general tried to explain or at least show the nitty gritty details of what the heck I was doing. Heck, I even spent 20% of my $10,000 budget on a UL rated toilet knowing that would be their biggest complaint. (That $2,000 toilet works basically the same as the good ole bucket system you can make for $10, but I saw it as necessary to be taken seriously in these discussions that were a when/not if).

5 years in, it happened – My Code Violation (2016)

Even though I had found success for YEARS living in my tiny, I knew the inevitable would eventually happen. Life continued, I had babies, a career change, etc. I kept talking out loud, sharing my house, and advocating for tiny living. Fortunately for me, some very savvy people were out there doing the same. When the Morrison’s asked me to collaborate on their big Appendix Q push, I did! Right as that was happening, I got my code violation asking me to become legal or leave the premises in 10 days. We literally had our flights booked to Kansas City to make our case the the International Code Council (ICC).

The call

I remember I was at the mall with my kids just joking and playing around when James called me with some bad news. I had no reason to know what it was but I knew exactly what it was. When you are living life on ‘the fringe’, by choice, circumstance, or the shear fact that there are no rules about your brand of divergent thinking, yet, possibly repercussions always live rent free in your mind. For nearly 5 years I had waited for this outreach so. When he called me, I could hear by the tone in his voice we had received our letter.

I allowed myself the evening to be sad while James and I took the kids out to dinner. I was surprised to feel a lot of things, but sad wasn’t really one of them. I was mad, and flabbergasted that it took so long. I was relived I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. There were definitely nerves about the next steps but I was also excited for the opportunity to take those next steps. That code violation was necessary to the next phase, which I wanted!

I debated

Still, I was 5 years in on my initial two year plan. I had already paid off the expense of the tiny house in rent saved. Debts had been cleared. My goals had been accomplished. My kids, I was told repeatedly, needed more space. I knew I could either give in, move out and move on, or I could finally have that conversation. I made peace with whatever the outcome was, but decided it would be a HUGE disservice to my entire plan and life’s purpose to not at least have the conversation.

It was not pleasantly timed. Two small babies, I was just starting a giant lawsuit that would take my already taxed time, and I was halfway through the construction of our camper that we were planning on using for an extended road trip soon. The easy thing would have been to say, ‘oh darn’ and move on. But I had waited so long for this, that felt like dropping the ball. Head held high, we went in for a chat

Officials could not have received us any better.

There were no judgements, no mocking, or discomfort at all. My meeting was with the head of the Zoning Department, the Head of the Building Department and Code Officials. Turns out the City had a whole book on me, literally.

I was able to explain this Appendix Q effort we were working on for the ICC. I went to them with myself in mind of course, but also with the information that there were MANY others in Boise (whose anonymity I never gave up) as well as a whole nation of people watching how this played out. I’m sure they didn’t like handling a somewhat high profile case (thanks TIME and Dwell for publishing us so we could gain a broad audience), but they were very willing to try. Ultimately, they granted us a 3 month extension on our ‘must be out date’, until the ICC made their judgement on Appendix Q.

For the first time, I lived in my tiny house absolutely legally and it felt like I got to set down a 100# weight.

I think they were as shocked as I was when Appendix Q passed!

There were a couple steps after that to make it official, during which time the City granted me another extension while we figured it out. Jason, the head of the Building Department, actually helped pick up some of that weight with me as he essentially held my hand while I navigated the process of getting Appendix Q adopted into the state of Idaho’s code. Typically the 2016 code would not be in Idaho until organically adopted. Because we wrote the tiny house code as an Appendix, it could be adopted separately and earlier. It took more months but ultimately, Idaho was the first state to officially adopt the tiny house appendix and I was granted another exception to stay put while we figured the rest out.

There were still wheels to deal with (2017)

Just when everything was in order, and Appendix Q was live in Idaho code, it was time to start navigating that wheel discussion – we picked our set sail date for our extended road trip. The City granted us an extension until that date so they could take some efforts to work out how they might handle the wheels. The thought was that when we got home, they would be ready for that discussion.

Personally, our plan with the road trip was to see if there was a better place to call home for our growing family and changing hometown. I felt somewhat of a sense of responsibility to NOT find somewhere new though now. Our town was finally ready to have the conversation I was trying to drive for 5 years, I couldn’t bail on that!

I bailed on that (2018)

Not only did I bail, I had so much lighthearted fun on our road trip. I was not ready to give all that up after 13 months on the road. I kind of side-stepped the whole tiny house discussion for a few years. There were new people with new energy leading the charge. A whole industry had arranged to carry on the advocacy work! I felt that I had accomplished enough at that time because there WAS a legal path. I metaphorically put down my advocate torch and set to building my life the way I had worked so hard for. It looked different than I had planned. That was also kind of the plan… find something different :).

Moving to Moscow (2019)

Ultimately, we did find a new home in Moscow, 300 miles north of Boise. I contacted our new jurisdiction and was able to walk them through all of our advocacy work which they weren’t entirely ‘in the know’ on. We found a path to legally living tiny in our mobile tiny house. I purchased a dreamy 6 acres which has actually been full of headaches and heart aches, but I still deeply love this space! I even found an insurance agent who could cover the house.

We have been diligently setting up our life without the heavy weight of being ‘fringe’. Moving up our tiny house for (legal) placement. We figured out solar and set up our own power array (legally). We figured out how to collect enough rain water to sustain us, even through cold winters (legally). I have been plugging away and educating our kids at home (legally). We built a pole barn with a big classroom/community gathering space (legally). We have even started a MiniMakers Club which we host in that space. We teach our kids and their friends to think divergently and give them the opportunity to use an array of tools. Our hope is that might be useful to know one day for their own lives purpose.

We have been living our happily ever after for a while now!

I needed that check out from the heavy bits of being an advocate. I needed to celebrate those wins we have helped manifest. I needed to feel more of why I should be advocating for this lifestyle and less of the heaviness of the actual advocacy. When the 2020-2021 code discussions were happening, I didn’t even try to involve myself. It felt good knowing it was still going on without me! (I actually have a meeting a little bit later today to get a good idea of the entire scope of what happened in that last code cycle. I have a pretty good idea but I want to be sure I understand the nuances as I step back into advocating us forward.)

Why is advocacy important now?

Well, right now, industry is setting the standards for a movement that was initiated by DIYers. My main concern is that industry will set rules that take tiny homes out of the ability of the DIYer. If parts or portions are relegated to licensed manufacturers, that’s not DIY friendly. My entire point in this tiny house realm has to do with the making of your own home. Living in it is just a perk. There are JUST as much benefits, if not more, in the journey of construction as there are in the benefits of living in a smaller space. In my opinion, codes have to suite DIY. Industry can fit around that. Not the other way around.

What is this code push about? (2024)

Why is it different? This one is initiated by the ICC (a big difference). Because there has continued to be such pressure from the public, the ICC is FINALLY ready to start outlining standards to allow habitable structures permanently attached to wheels. There are many different codes, HUD, RVIA, ANSI, IRC, IBC. The I-codes, specifically IRC, are the ones that need to be having this conversation because they are the ones that decide what a safe dwelling is. There has been a struggle to decide WHO should codify tiny homes. I am 100% sure this conversation needs to happen under the IRC. And that is who is finally discussing it!

There were points I never thought it would happen but I have always had hope that it would, for MANY different reasons. The top reasons is because living in right-sized (for me) housing has provided me a path to a life I actually LOVE living instead of one where I race around trying to upkeep so many different obligations… other people should be able to choose that, too.

Right now there is a path but it is steep, rocky and there are still a few big obstacles. It takes considerable skill and effort. This push is to clear out most of those remaining obstacles so that the path is accessible to more people. Affordable housing options is the obvious positive outcome they are shooting for. Sustainable happiness is my hope for others. Both have never been more needed than right now.

Who is in on it?

I am really stoked with the team working together on this important effort. There are 18 voting members from all different industries. Along with that are several devoted tiny house advocates you probably know helping to guide the conversation. They all seem to have great ideas and a willingness to hear others. I do not agree with all of them but I also think that they each have an earnest goal of helping in the best way they know how.

To quote my friend, Kimber, “We aren’t meant to control the environment around us. We are meant to influence it.” While I am not a voting member to what actually gets passed forward, I feel like my opinion counts, and I intend on stating it clearly as needed. My contributions to the discussion only have to do with making it viable for DIY so that the tiny homes don’t get relegated to industry only.

I feel in my bones that good things are going to come out of this. Appendix Q had the optional avenue for small size. Appendix AQ made Appendix Q a fact, not an option. This effort is to give the wheels a chance, too. Additionally, this effort will allow cities to hand this ball to zoning departments, the country round. The next step is that they can start incorporating moveable tiny homes into the fabric of their cities!

With all the efforts combined, tiny homes on wheels will be possible!

I plan to update here as the discussion progress. If you have any comments, questions or concerns you’d like me to bring to the table, please share them below. I’d love to do that!