County Adds Tiny Homes on Wheels to Housing Options

A new housing option is now eligible to roll into unincorporated areas of the County of San Diego - Tiny Homes on Wheels.

The County's Department of Planning & Development Services said after review, Tiny Homes on Wheels, also known as THOWs, could fit under the County's current Zoning Ordinance that sets building standards in the unincorporated areas.

The ruling is a "significant shift" that means Tiny Homes on Wheels could qualify to be used as standalone homes on properties, or as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) alongside existing homes in unincorporated communities.

Officials said the County is continuing to support finding new and innovative ways to create more housing and address the region's housing shortage - while maintaining safety and neighborhood character. The addition of Tiny Homes on Wheels lines up with the County's Housing Blueprint.

Tiny Homes on Wheels are built like regular houses, only they're a fraction of the size of a standard home. And unlike Accessory Dwelling Units that are built on existing properties, tiny homes, even though they are built to be stationary, can be towed to a location.

County planning officials said the addition of Tiny Homes on Wheels would help both existing homeowners and developers.

Homeowners will have more options to add flexible living space to family members, renters and senior homeowners looking to stay in their homes. Developers will have a new innovative housing option that could be built faster and more affordably than current single-family homes.

Some of the County's guidelines state Tiny Homes:

• Must be used for residential dwelling and not as hotels, boarding and lodging houses.
• Cannot be larger than 430 square-feet, measuring from the inside face of their walls, and no taller than one-story.
• Cannot have slide or pop-out features that increase the square footage of their living space.
• Must adhere to the County Zoning Ordinance's allowable density - the number of homes allowed on a single lot.
• Must include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation, and have only one kitchen.
• Shall be connected to electric, water and sewer utilities and receive the required building permits.
• Must meet fire-safety regulations: be made with non-combustible exteriors including stucco, masonry, cement fiber board, or metal; be built with dual-glazed windows, Class A roofs.
• Must include residential fire sprinkler systems, unless they're being used as Accessible Dwelling Units rather than standalone homes and qualify for the ADU exemption.
• Cannot move under their own power.
• Be parked or installed on paved pads that include bumper guards, curbs or other installations necessary to prevent it from moving.

A complete list of the County's Tiny Homes on Wheels requirements can be found here on the County Planning & Development Services' website.