Tiny homes coming to Amherstburg

 

   City council has approved a new by-law allowing tiny homes to be built in Amherstburg.

   The new bylaw would allow people to build a tiny home, whether it be on their existing property or on smaller lots. Tiny homes are 500sqft that have all the amenities of a regular-sized home, such as a living space, kitchen and bathroom, but in a smaller space. They would primarily help both senior citizens and young people looking to buy their first home.

   It would be a cheaper option than standard-sized homes to both build and buy. Don McArthur, a councillor for the Town of Amherstburg, said municipalities would need to look at their lot sizes to ensure people can buy smaller lots for tiny homes. Without them, developers would have no financial incentive to build tiny homes.

   McArthur also believes it would help the housing crisis the region is  currently experiencing.

   “By bringing in more competition and more choices into the market, ultimately that should serve to lower prices and to benefit the consumer,” said McArthur. “Tiny homes are cheaper to build, to heat and cool, maintenance costs are lower, your carbon footprint is lower and they’re simply cheaper to buy.”

   According to the Windsor Essex County Association of Realtors, the average price of a home this past September was $329,238, up 9.1 per cent of the average last September, which was $301,765. The price of tiny homes in Amherstburg is difficult to predict since there is no precedent for them.

   Shaylynn Biscan, 19, who is worried about affording a mortgage for a home, sees a glimmer of hope in the new by-law.

   “Young people might have more motivation to get on with their lives and find what they want to do. I took a gap year because I’m unmotivated because I don’t make a lot of money,” said Biscan. “I never really saw myself in the future having a good job and a big house because it’s just very unattainable. But with tiny homes, just talking about them gives me a little more hope that I can achieve that.”

   McArthur said the biggest barrier to home ownership is most likely costs and getting a mortgage. Tiny homes would allow first time home-buyers to build up equity, pay off that mortgage, sell it and move to a bigger home.

   Tiny homes could also affect the way the senior population is living. Yvonne Timothy, 82, sees the benefits of tiny homes and is looking forward to seeing their development.

   “If tiny homes are coming to Amherstburg, I might consider moving into one. I think it would be a really good thing for my dog and I. As you get older, you just don’t need as much space,” said Timothy. “I think they could be a really good thing for Amherstburg, and the younger population might increase as well. Much of our population is aging.”

   While Amherstburg will not see tiny home communities popping up quickly, there could be a number of tiny homes being built in the coming years.