With more and more people going tiny, the need for parking is at an all-time high. The desire for tiny house community parking is on the rise too. Across the nation, more than a dozen cities have become officially tiny-friendly, and communities of tiny houses are cropping up, of varying legal status—everything from intimate backyard co-ops and eco-villages to resort style developments. Communities typically provide hassle-free tiny house parking with like-minded neighbors.
Tiny house communities come in several different types, each catering to a diverse crowd and addressing a different need. Some attract retirees looking to trade in square footage for free time. Others are experiments in how to solve the affordable housing crunch. During our tiny house travels, we have visited many distinct tiny home community models. You can choose from a broad variety of approaches, and models. Maybe you prefer a neighborhood feel or cohousing environment with shared resources—a kind of intentional community.
Which kind of tiny house community is right for you?
The RV Park Reborn
RV and mobile home parks are the original tiny home community. Welcoming tiny houses on wheels is a no-brainer for most, especially for those that offer long-term parking. Many parks are formally reinventing themselves as hybrid RV/Tiny House communities. This model is the most available and legally acceptable option for tiny house RV parking and features all the necessary amenities for a comfortable on-grid parking experience, with available power, water, and sewer hook-ups. Depending on the RV park location, the allowed length of stay varies, from 30 days to year-round parking. Another thing to love about this kind of community model is access to outdoor recreational activities and fun points of interest.
Do you want to be located in a rural, suburban or urban setting? In any locale you prefer, you can find an RV park. We have stayed in dozens of parks across the country, and have only been turned away once. Be aware: not all RV parks allow tiny houses. If our tiny house was RVIA certified, like professionally built Tumbleweed Tiny House RVs, we could have appealed the rejection.
In the Fall, we stayed at Animas Valley Village, a new Tiny House/RV park. It is located just over the Colorado state-line into New Mexico, situated between two great towns, Durango, Colorado, and Aztec, New Mexico. The village has eleven total spaces, with availability for short or long-term stays. The park also features two unique tiny house short-term rentals. Currently, one tiny house RV is parked there full-time, the Tiny Cottage Caravan. A family of five were our wonderful neighbors for the week. You could be their neighbor, starting today! Full-time spots are now available.
Tiny House/RV Parks across the US (there are many, many more THOW friendly parks!):
- Orlando Lakefront at College Park in Florida
- Gracious RV and Tiny House Park in Florida
- Tiny House Leadville in Colorado
- Island Cove Park in Colorado
- Riverview RV Park in Colorado
- Mt Hood RV Resort in Oregon, home to the Mt Hood Tiny House Village (vacation rentals)
- The Oaks RV and Tiny Home Community in Texas
- Buffalo Creek Tiny Home and RV Park in Texas
- Silver Sky Ranch in Texas
- Grand Meridian RV, Tiny Home, Cabin Resort in Oklahoma
- Valley Village RV Park and Tiny Homes in Idaho
- Mountain Shadows RV Park in Utah
- Southwest Tiny Homes RV Park in New Mexico
- Animas Valley Village in New Mexico
- Park Delta Bay in California
- Tiny House Campground in Tennessee
- Little Creek Resort, Lakeside RV and Tiny House Resort in South Carolina
Possible Amenities: WiFi, laundromat, vending machines, picnic areas, clubhouse, fire pits, on-site manager, grounds maintenance and lawn care
The Backyard Village
The most common tiny house parking is in an informal backyard community with a traditional house and one or more tiny homes. These are sites are typically under the radar, so it is hard to know how many exist. There could be one in your neighborhood! In a few cases, these backyard arrangements can be a more formal village set-up, like Going Places. It is a tiny cohousing community in a Portland. Did you know a cohousing community is semi-communal mini-neighborhood of private homes clustered around a shared community space? Residents share ownership, maintenance, and resources, like tools and the laundry room. If you are seeking an intimate, supportive environment, then this kind of tiny house parking is for you.
Whether you want to establish a collective community vision, or want just a few simple rules, a backyard is the perhaps the most accessible community model out there. The drawback is that zoning laws don’t often accept these types of communities.
Formal Tiny House Backyard Communities:
Tiny Houses on Wheels Officially Allowed as Accessory Dwelling Units, aka Backyard Cottages (ADUs):
- Fresno, CA
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Lyons, CO
- El Paso County, CO (**pending approval as of February 20th, 2019)
- Nantucket, MA
Possible Amenities: shared facilities like garden, laundry room, shed or garage
The Resort
Who says everyday life can’t feel like a vacation getaway? Resort style communities cater to those seeking a quaint setting with luxurious amenities. Park model communities have been around for years and are popular among retirees. In the last few years, you can now find similar tiny house communities with a mix of short-term rentals, vacation homes, and long-term parking spots for your vacation rental. These settings offer rental tiny house experiences, providing a sneak peek into the tiny house village lifestyle. It is a great way to try out a community before committing to a six-month or year-long lot lease.
Are you looking to plan for your financial future? Some resorts allow you to rent out a tiny house, managed by them.
Tiny House Resort Communities:
- Tiny Estates in Pennsylvania
- Simple Life in North Carolina
- Acony Bell Tiny Home Village in North Carolina
- Lake Walk Tiny Home Community in South Carolina
- Little River Escape in Georgia
- Tiny Tranquility, Tiny House & Vintage Trailer Park in Oregon
- Beaver Dam Tiny Home and RV Resort in Texas
- Mill Creek Ranch Resort in Texas
- Vintage Grace in Texas
- LuxTiny Community in Arizona
- Cedar Springs Tiny Village in Ohio
- Peak View Park in Colorado
Possible Amenities: WiFi, clubhouse with regular activities like game night, fitness center, pool and hot tub, fishing pond, walking trails, community fire pits, dog park, golf, shuttle service, grounds maintenance, and lawn care
The Village
Are you looking for a more rooted community experience? The kind of place where you can work with the neighbors to cultivate a sustainable environment, within a private, peaceful village setting. Think a full-blown intentional community or a cooperative neighborhood. There is cross-over with some tiny house resort communities, like Acony Bell, where the emphasis is on developing a long-term, engaged village. Are you ready to get planting in the community garden? If yes, then this is your kind of tiny house community.
Tiny House Villages:
- Circle Pond Tiny Home Community in Florida
- Wildwoods Farm in North Carolina
- Cross Timbers Community in Missouri
- Dancing Rabbit EcoVillage in Missouri
- The Sanctuary Minnesota Tiny House Village
- Tiny Lots in Texas
- Dream River Ranch in Idaho
Possible Amenities: community garden and individual garden lots, wifi, communal shared gathering spaces, laundromat, dog park, horse area, pond, on-site storage
The Pocket Neighborhood
Not everyone can be a digital nomad. That’s why proximity to jobs is still necessary for many tiny house dwellers. Rural tiny house communities or those located in hybrid RV parks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s where a pocket neighborhood comes in. There are only a few planned THOW neighborhoods in existence offering a desirable opportunity for those looking for more urban living experience. A pocket neighborhood is a kind of planned community. It consists of a grouping of smaller structures, around a common green space within to create a “neighborhood,” and it’s designed to promote a close-knit sense of community feel.
A few months back, we visited Durango, an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Located in southwestern Colorado where the high desert meets the mountains. The newly approved Escalante Village plans to open this Spring. It will be a tiny house on wheels community within the city limits, directly off the Animas River Trail that goes through the heart of downtown. In addition to long-term parking spots, the village will also offer long-term tiny house rentals, including a selection of beautiful Tumbleweed Tiny House RVs. Submit your rental applications today!
Pocket Neighborhoods:
- Escalante Village in Colorado
- Lake Dallas Tiny Home Village in Texas
- DIY Tiny in North Carolina
Possible Amenities: WiFi, community garden, on-site storage, trash service, proximity to shopping, etc.
Hi,
I have a large backyard. Septic and well. I’m in the country. I was wondering if I put a tiny house on my property, how does septic and electric and heating/cooling work? Can I build one that is not connected to my home utilities in any way? Do you build there and ship to other states?
Thank you,
Kim Cantrell
We build these in Colorado and then ship across the US. Tumbleweeds come with traditional RV hookups. Most customers have a contractor come and put RV hookups, but others do go completely off-grid.
What is the largest tiny house dimensions I can pull with a car or regular 4 wheel drive truck across country
Trucks are rated on how much weight they can pull. The size is secondary to the weight. That said, there are specific size limitations for towing without a special permit for an oversized load.