A Case-Study-Based Investigation on the Planning and Development of Tiny Home Communities in North Carolina

Tiny homes have gained popularity over the past two decades. However, tiny homes have encountered obstacles to being considered as primary dwellings because most local zoning ordinances do not fully adopt them as a permanent dwelling type. Only a few counties (5%) and municipalities (6%) in North Carolina adopted tiny homes in their ordinance. A multiple-case study is employed to investigate eight communities in North Carolina. The developers, property owners, municipality officials, and county planners are interviewed. Other methods include studying the communities' general layout and amenities and reviewing zoning ordinances, property records, and site plans. The data are analyzed using thematic analysis. Three tiny home development models are recommended: Cluster Development, Pocket Neighbourhood, and Tiny Home Park. The development guidelines of the three models are recommended.