Permitting “tiny homes” to be built in our county can only be a part of the solution to our dire need for working-family housing. The other, equally important part is assuring that any “tiny homes” built do not become mere vacation rentals, empty during most of the year.

One possible way of accomplishing that might be to make building such “tiny homes” conditional on their being used only as year-round housing. Telling homeowners what they can and cannot do with their own existing property could be seen as an illegal “taking,” but permitting the creation of a “tiny home” only under specific use conditions should easily circumvent the “taking” issue.

The third part of my proposed solution to our housing “crunch” would be an ordinance permitting property owners to add, without legal complication, at least one “tiny home” to each five-acre property portion.

We urgently need to do something to assure that our working families can find local, affordable living accommodations. With county help, the “tiny home” movement could be our lifesaving solution.

Steve Henigson

Eastsound