Victorian council removes permit requirement for some tiny houses, caravans in bid to ease housing crisis
ABC Central Victoria / By Sarah Lawrence. Posted Thu 22 Jun 2023 at 7:09amThursday 22 Jun 2023 at 7:09am, updated Thu 22 Jun 2023 at 8:54amThursday 22 Jun 2023 at 8:54am
IMAGE: woman standing in tiny house kitchen
Kathryn McGoldrick, 66, was homeless before moving into her tiny home.(Supplied: Kathryn McGoldrick)
In a bid to ease the housing shortage, a regional Victorian council will now allow residents to camp or park a caravan or tiny home on wheels on certain properties without a permit.
Key points:
- Mount Alexander Shire is removing permits for caravans, tiny houses and tents on certain properties
- The property must have an existing home for the extra dwelling to be put there
- Advocates say it will be particularly helpful for women facing homelessness
- Councillors from Mount Alexander Shire — which takes in towns including Castlemaine, Maldon and Harcourt — agreed to change the local law on the condition the property already had an existing dwelling.
No time limit has been placed on how long the extra home can stay there, however, Mayor Rosie Annear said it could not become a permanent dwelling.
"The decision came from the community telling us that this would help the housing crisis," she explained.
"We know it won't fix the problem but it's another option for people who are struggling to find a place to live or those who want to change their lifestyle.
"I've lived here my whole life and have never seen the housing crisis so bad. We've never had so much homelessness and rough sleeping.
"A lot of us on the council couldn't live with ourselves if we didn't do something to try to make things better."
Mayor Annear said the new rule did not apply to land where there was no house.
"We're hoping that because there is already a property on the land where a tiny house on wheels, caravan or tent will go, a lot of aspects such as bushfire and flood management, will have been assessed for the housing permit," she said.
IMAGE: Tiny house with light brown wood and grey metal paneling parked in a clearing.
The dwellings must not be permanent and tiny homes must have wheels, the shire says. (Supplied: Aussie Tiny Houses)
Certainty for the future
Certainty for the future
Castlemaine resident Kathryn Goldrick said she was homeless before moving into her tiny home at the start of the year.
"I had moved 16 times in the past five years and was on the public housing waiting list," she said.
"I was desperate and had some superannuation left over, so I borrowed money as well, and got my tiny home built."
Ms McGoldrick, who now lives in a tiny house on wheels in the backyard of a home, said the move had given her more clarity.
"I'm 66 and want to find a place I can settle and grow old in," she said.
"I applied for a permit under the old laws but there was a two-year endpoint on that and I had no certainty on my future.
"This option will really help with people's mental health and sense of belonging, it's going to be fantastic."
Ms Goldrick said she suspected she may still have been waiting for public housing, if she had not move into her tiny home.
"It's a great community, people care, it's creative and environmentally aware. There's a real sense of working together which I love."
"I had moved 16 times in the past five years and was on the public housing waiting list," she said.
"I was desperate and had some superannuation left over, so I borrowed money as well, and got my tiny home built."
Ms McGoldrick, who now lives in a tiny house on wheels in the backyard of a home, said the move had given her more clarity.
"I'm 66 and want to find a place I can settle and grow old in," she said.
"I applied for a permit under the old laws but there was a two-year endpoint on that and I had no certainty on my future.
"This option will really help with people's mental health and sense of belonging, it's going to be fantastic."
Ms Goldrick said she suspected she may still have been waiting for public housing, if she had not move into her tiny home.
"It's a great community, people care, it's creative and environmentally aware. There's a real sense of working together which I love."
IMAGE: Shannon and Fred inside their tiny house.
Shannon and Fred Schultz inside their Castlemaine tiny home.
(ABC Central Victoria: Larissa Romensky)Providing new options
Fred Schultz, who runs a tiny house business in Castlemaine and helped campaign for the local law change, said he was driven by hearing about how many women were facing homelessness.
"There are people who come to tiny homes for environmental reasons and wanting to reduce their footprint, but others who come to it out of necessity," he said.
"Particularly women looking at retirement who don't have the huge savings to enter the real estate market — but this is a viable option."
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Dhelkaya Health Housing Coordinator Dianne Cox said she anticipated it would also help free up other properties.
"Mount Alexander Shire has a shortage of affordable housing, we're in the top six in Victoria in the cost of private rentals," Ms Cox said.
"A family member might be moving back to the shire, and now people can house others on their property.
"Even if it's 10 caravans or tiny houses on wheels, that's 10 people who won't be looking for a rental or property in the shire."
"There are people who come to tiny homes for environmental reasons and wanting to reduce their footprint, but others who come to it out of necessity," he said.
"Particularly women looking at retirement who don't have the huge savings to enter the real estate market — but this is a viable option."
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Dhelkaya Health Housing Coordinator Dianne Cox said she anticipated it would also help free up other properties.
"Mount Alexander Shire has a shortage of affordable housing, we're in the top six in Victoria in the cost of private rentals," Ms Cox said.
"A family member might be moving back to the shire, and now people can house others on their property.
"Even if it's 10 caravans or tiny houses on wheels, that's 10 people who won't be looking for a rental or property in the shire."
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