In response to a national trend, a Phoenix suburb is considering creating one of the first communities of "tiny houses" in Arizona.
As The Arizona Republic reported last week, city leaders in Tempe want to create a community of up to 11 such houses on two-thirds of an acre of city-owned land. Tiny houses — typically 300 to 600 square feet — have become a niche market in recent years, but their proliferation has been limited by building codes and zoning laws in some cities.
The proposed community in Tempe would include a community garden and center, parking spaces and a bike locker. It's intended to appeal to low- and middle-income residents. Scottsdale already has some tiny houses, and some Arizona counties have relaxed zoning requirements to allow such communities to be built.
Tiny houses are touted as being less expensive to buy and maintain, as well as more energy-efficient, than larger homes. One Arizona company, Tiny Treasure Homes, builds small houses on wheels in the White Mountains town of Show Low, then ships them all over the country.