{"id":650,"date":"2022-09-29T12:07:34","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T17:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternativehousingoptions.com\/?p=650"},"modified":"2023-02-08T14:48:36","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T19:48:36","slug":"is-alternative-housing-legal-in-my-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alternativehousingoptions.com\/is-alternative-housing-legal-in-my-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Alternative Housing Legal in my State?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The real estate market in the United States tends to go through cycles. It often swings between a seller\u2019s market, as we\u2019ve seen for the past 5-10 years, and a buyer’s market, like we are starting to move into and saw 11-15 years ago. The rise and fall in home prices and interest rates are nothing new in the United States. Home buyers, sellers, renters, and builders tend to have a selective memory that can get clouded in the good times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can you do to safeguard yourself from the swings in the real estate market? You can pay cash or have a large downpayment for a traditional home, which is not always possible. Renting or buying well below your means is an option. It\u2019s always wise to live below your earnings, but if that\u2019s not possible, you could consider alternative housing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"alternative-house-option-tiny-house\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alternative housing doesn\u2019t always mean you need to downsize. You could do so if you want to own or live in a tiny house<\/a>, or build a tiny house from one shipping container<\/a>, cob, straw, pallets<\/a>, or silos<\/a>, or move into an R.V., van camper, sailboat, houseboat<\/a>, or other traveling home. On the other hand, you can build a regular size house (above 500 square feet is considered a small, regular house) out of alternative building materials<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re considering any type of alternative housing, it\u2019s best to know if you can build in your state or if moving might be part of the equation, depending on how passionate you are about your home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We searched building codes to determine which alternative housing types are allowed. We will add that your municipality, homeowners association (HOA), or local building approvals may differ from state-level approvals. Always check with your municipality or HOA before starting a building, construction, or parking your alternative home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manufactured and mobile homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Manufactured homes or mobile homes are legal in all 50 states. They can be placed on private land or in a community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www2.census.gov\/programs-surveys\/mhs\/visualizations\/2021\/2021shipmentsmap.pdf<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiny houses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can build a tiny home in California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Maine, Arizona, Washington, Minnesota, Oregon, and Hawaii. They are highly regulated in New York, West Virginia, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Pallet homes would also be considered tiny homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"tiny-house-trailer-alternative-home\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Shipping container homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"shipping-container-home-alternative\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Depending on size, many shipping containers may fall under the tiny house rules in your area. Areas where shipping containers are allowed but may be regulated<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Texas, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, California, Florida, Missouri, New York, Alaska, Washington, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Virginia, Maine, and Hawaii. You can find new provisions for shipping container building codes <\/a>here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cob homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"cob-home-house-alternative-housing\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cob homes<\/a> are a novelty in the United States. While they have been built worldwide for centuries, the U.S. has slowly adopted building codes for this type of housing. New codes for Cob were added to the International Residential Code (IRC)<\/a> in 2021. However, that doesn\u2019t mean cob homes are illegal. You will need special permits and building inspections as you build.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strawbale homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"straw-bale-house-fast\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are strawbale homes<\/a> in every state in the U.S. While local regulations may prohibit construction, the IRC has given guidance<\/a> on how strawbale homes must be built.\u00a0Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas have a system for approving strawbale homes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adobe homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mexican hacienda behind the cactus in New Mexico, USA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adobe homes would fall under the straw-clay construction<\/a> in the IRC. Most adobe homes in the U.S. are found in the southwest. However, if you consider that adobe homes have been built worldwide and in all types of climates, they can be built all over the U.S. if your area permits it. https:\/\/up.codes\/s\/adobe-construction<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yurts and tipis (teepees)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"yurt-platform-alternative-home\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eight states are Yurt<\/a> friendly and will allow you to live in one year-round. Alaska, New York, California, Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, and Oregon. You may need to get special permits and be required to have the specific infrastructure, but no state has outright banned yurts. Since Tipis or Teepees<\/a> are very similar, we will put them in this category. While people have lived in them year-round in warmer climates, the consensus we found is that it\u2019s not best for the winter weather, but it can be done. There was a good forum by OffBeatHome.\u00a0https:\/\/offbeathome.com\/tipi-year-round\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permanent camping, RV, van campers, other traveling campers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Skoolie-School-Bus-Conversion-alternative-home\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Permanent camping<\/a> can be an option, but you must be willing to move every 14-28 days, depending on the area. You may be allowed to stay longer in dispersed camps or primitive sites with no amenities. The Bureau of Land Management<\/a> is a good place to start if you\u2019re considering the permanent camping lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Houseboats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"houseboat-alternative-housing-idea\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Houseboats and the liveaboard lifestyle are regulated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Each state has specific time frames where you\u2019d need to get a harbor permit if you plan to stay anchored. You\u2019ll need to follow local Marina laws and the U.S. Coast Guard safety rules. With that said, you could potentially live on a boat<\/a> in any body of water, in any state. LakeWizard<\/a> has a great article about live-abords you can check out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Train car or railcar homes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Railcar homes<\/a> have been used as permanent homes and rental houses. You can find them all around the U.S. from Tennessee, Oregon, North Carolina, California, Minnesota, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Colorado, and Montana.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earthbag, earth berm, and earthships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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These partial earth homes fall into a particular category as most of them are made from, of, or in the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n