Pennsylvania Woman Searches for Legal Location for Tiny House
"Every borough has its own zoning rules and regulations," said Rachel Ford.
— -- A Pennsylvania woman is facing big obstacles in her plan to move into a tiny house.
Rachel Ford of West View, Pennsylvania, wants to move into a tiny house, however, borough laws are holding her back, she said. The problem is that many municipalities in western Pennsylvania do not allow homes as small as hers, which is 306 square feet.
Ford told ABC News that she began considering moving into a tiny house because it would give her the financial freedom she has been craving for a long time. Ford, who currently works two jobs, noted that the cost of the construction of a tiny house would be significantly cheaper than other housing options she's considered.
"If I were to buy a traditional house, I would be paying $1,200 to $1,300 dollars a month -- that's more than half my income," Ford said. "Just for me, [a tiny house] seems like such a better transition."
Ford estimated that the cost of her tiny house would range from $20,000 to $25,000.
Ford, 29, has been documenting her process to moving into a tiny house on her blog called Tiny House Big Dreams, and noted that among the difficulties she's faced, her toughest challenge has been locating a permanent location for the tiny house once it's been built.
Many of the local municipalities in Pittsburgh have zoning laws that require a foundation or a house to be much larger than Ford's 306-square-foot tiny house.
"Every borough has its own zoning rules and regulations," Ford said. "It's crazy."
Ford revealed that while she has found a couple of boroughs that "don't have square foot requirements," she hasn't made any final decisions because she is still researching to find other possible locations for her tiny house.
"I'm keeping my options open" Ford said.
Ford said that after she figures out where she will move her tiny house to, she is looking forward to less stress and the financial freedom she will have.
"My expenses will be way down after the first year so I will be able to travel and experience new things," Ford said.
