Lawmaker eyes tiny house building codes for Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) –A Pennsylvania lawmaker will soon introduce legislation establishing building regulations for tiny houses.

Doing so, said Rep. Darisha Parker, D-Philadelphia, would expand affordable housing options for residents that still adhere to strict safety standards.

Although they exist in Pennsylvania, there are no standards on the books directly addressing tiny homes. Parker's bill would broaden the state's building regulations to include parameters laid out in Appendix Q of the 2018 International Residential

Code, the most widely accepted building code model in the country.

Some states have adopted it in its entirety while others have chosen only parts. The latter is the route Parker says Pennsylvania should take.

Doing so would address safety and design issues for tiny houses, with special attention given to features such as compact stairs, handrails, headroom, and emergency escape and rescue opening requirements. Additionally, it would only apply in municipalities choose to enforce it via ordinance.

Tiny houses range from 80 to 400 square feet in size, can be built using a variety of methods, and are often constructed on a chassis with wheels. They are placed on private or leased property, many times in violation of local zoning laws and the state's Uniform Construction Code.

A source knowledgeable about this matter told The Center Square there is “technically” no legal pathway for local officials to allow tiny houses to be occupied as full-time residences.

The legal conundrum hasn't stopped tiny houses from popping up all over the state, however. One of the largest tiny home communities in the country is located in Lancaster County. Called Tiny Estates, the 14acre property operates as a campground and hosts 58 tiny homes on wheels – though they'd like to expand.

Chief Executive Officer Abby Shanks told The Center Square via email that Tiny Estates has begun to build new homes, ensuring they are “state regulated and able to be financed and approved by townships more easily.”

She said state housing authorities, however, have shown no interest in adopting tiny house building codes.

Idaho was the first of over 20 states to adopt Appendix Q, and in over a dozen others, it is being used by cities or municipalities independently of statewide adoption.

The Lancaster County Planning Board has warned that ignoring this growing trend can lead to unregulated and unaccounted for dwellings that could pose safety hazards.

They also said that allowing tiny homes “will not create a proliferation of them,” as it is not a housing style in which most Americans could live. And, when regulated correctly, they provide an affordable housing alternative.