Site News or Updates
This site is getting a new name. And that’s not all!
Change is on the horizon! This site is getting a new name and new features. 🎉👀
Jill Kanto March 25, 2023 No Comments
Blogs
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Resources
Fireside Chat with The Tiny Life
Check out this video of my chat with Ryan of the Tiny Life, discussing all things Tiny House Living & Tiny House Communities! This is an informal sitdown chat where we hold a casual conversation touching on various aspects of the tiny house movement. I hope you find it useful.
Jill Kanto August 27, 2021 No Comments
Featured Communities
Featured Tiny Home Community: Tiny House Block
Tiny House Block is the first legal tiny house on wheels community in San Diego County, California. Back at the beginning of March, we were fortunate to visit before the shelter in place orders came down after meeting Jon and Melissa Block at TinyFest California. They kindly invited us to their mountain town tiny house village. https://youtu.be/C9NjfDJugkw Tiny House Block is home to 18 long and short-term rentals and seven rental lots. Importantly, for those looking for parking for your tiny house
Alexis Stephens August 27, 2020 84 Comments
Featured Communities
Featured Tiny House Community: A Permaculture Farm
Have ever dreamed of living in harmony with nature in a supportive community setting? That’s just what Wildwoods Community Farm has set out to create in central North Carolina. It’s a permaculture tiny house village, home to several DIY homes and volunteer accommodations. Neighbors include free-range chickens and ducks, as well as the passionate farm manager, Brandon. When we met him, two years ago, he was preparing for a busy Spring of permaculture design and land work. Wildwoods Community Farm is
Alexis Stephens July 13, 2020 158 Comments
Featured Communities
Featured Tiny House Community: A Family’s Backyard Village
If you have ever perused Pinterest for tiny house inspiration, you have definitely seen the famous Tiny Tack House. Chris and Malissa Tack built it eight years ago, before “tiny house” was a well-known term. Back then, very few DIY resources were available. So Malissa decided to design their house herself. She is a highly skilled 3D artist and always up for a good challenge.
Alexis Stephens April 26, 2020 200 Comments
Featured Communities
Top 3 Tiny House Communities for Horse Lovers
If you have ever perused Pinterest for tiny house inspiration, you have definitely seen the famous Tiny Tack House. Chris and Malissa Tack built it eight years ago, before “tiny house” was a well-known term. Back then, very few DIY resources were available. So Malissa decided to design their house herself. She is a highly skilled 3D artist and always up for a good challenge.
Alexis Stephens April 26, 2020 324 Comments
Resources
Living Tiny in Community Audio Lecture
Living Tiny in Community Lecture Listen to find tiny house parking, with a focus on Tiny House Communities. Learn the different types of available communities, the pros & cons of each type, resources for finding or starting a community, and tools for working together. I regularly visit tiny house festivals as a speaker (before COVID-19). I recorded my lecture and subsequent Q&A when I visited a festival in Austin, TX. This audio is a great way to get a lot
Jill Kanto April 19, 2020 213 Comments
Featured Communities
Top 3 Tiny House Communities Near Ski Resorts
(plus 7 honorable mentions) As a new snowboarder myself, I am thrilled to share several tiny house communities within a short drive to ski resorts across the country. Most definitely, these are a dream come true for many in search of a place to call home.
Alexis Stephens February 10, 2020 62 Comments
Miscellaneous
Tiny House for Sale: $39,000
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to SearchTinyHouseVillages.com!
Custom-built tiny home by a career and technology center in KY in 2018.
The home is 24 ft long with a 2 ft bump out on both ends, a queen DOWNSTAIRS murphy bed which doubles as a sofa, loft, 11′ tall shower with rain shower head, custom hardwood drawers and cabinets througout. Huge closet (or optional reading nook).
A lot of thought went into creating usable storage for this house. It is a truly livable tiny house.
Jill Kanto February 6, 2020 42 Comments
Featured Communities
Top 6 Tiny House Communities in Urban Areas
(Plus 8 honorable mentions)
Not everyone can be a digital nomad. That’s why proximity to jobs is still necessary for many tiny home dwellers. And for those who thrive in fast-paced environments, country living is not their cup of tea. If you can relate, then you’ll be thrilled to learn of tiny house villages in urban areas. These typically boast of walkability to nearby amenities and short commutes.
This is only the beginning. As a growing number of cities update their outdated zoning laws, expect to see numerous new tiny home communities pop-up, within or just outside of small and midsize cities.
Alexis Stephens October 21, 2019 839 Comments
Featured Communities
Top 3 Tiny House Communties with Dog Parks
Curating a tiny home around the things most essential and dearest to your heart can include your furry companion. While downsizing pet owners may get rid of excessive toys and accessories, they would never say goodbye to their beloved dog, cat, or other animal pals. Interestingly, many new to the tiny house movement are often surprised by the number of tiny dwellers with pets.
Alexis Stephens October 7, 2019 389 Comments
Resources
Top 8 Questions about Creating a Tiny House Community
Countless tiny house enthusiasts dream of creating their very own community. But for the brave few who pursue it, starting the process can be incredibly daunting. A common-sense place to start is a quick Google search.
But results on the topic typically include intimidating zoning obstacles, or misleading articles on “livable communities” that are actually mostly hotels or failed developer projects. Good news! If you found this site, then your research just got a whole lot easier with our ever-growing directory of tiny house communities of all kinds.
And this leads us to a couple of the most frequently asked questions for those looking to start a community…
Alexis Stephens September 9, 2019 899 Comments
Resources
11 Step Guide to Visiting your First Tiny House Community
Do you dream of living in a tiny house community? Researching options in our online database is a great place to start. But to truly find out if a particular village is a good fit for you, then you need to experience it firsthand. Time to schedule a visit!
If you’re like me, sometimes excitement can get in the way of clear judgment. So it’s important to thoroughly plan your trip to ensure you maximize your time there. After all, this is a huge decision, your potential future home that will likely involve a big relocation.
Use this helpful guide make the most of your tiny home community visit.
Alexis Stephens July 17, 2019 119 Comments
Resources
Do you and your friends want to start a community, but aren’t sure what to do next?
Do you have a group of friends who fantasize about creating a community together? Or, maybe you’ve already made some headway with your group, but you’re spinning wheels or everyone has their own (different) vision of the community. Overwhelmed? Not sure what the next step is? Do you all feel like you’re herding cats?
Never fear. Use this tool among your group to determine who goals & property types align with each other.
Jill Kanto March 5, 2019 4 Comments
Featured Communities
The Birth of Burleigh Plantation – a Tiny House Community
Karen is a self-described rebel with a servant’s heart. She has the drive & gumption to create a brilliant community in Southern Louisiana.
The community layout she chose is among my favorite, which promotes social interaction and downright coziness. Each cluster of tiny houses will have its own central courtyard.
Right away, I’d say she is off to a great start! Read on. Decide if this could be the right community for you!
Jill Kanto January 15, 2019 126 Comments
Intentional Communities
This Could End the Tiny House Community Movement
Facebook Google+ Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest That isn’t a click-bait title. There is a serious dilemma facing Tiny House Communities that isn’t receiving enough attention. People are focusing on the legality & development of communities, which is of course needed. However, few communities are focusing on interdependence skills. See my recent post on the difference between a neighborhood and a community Humans are beautifully flawed, messy creatures. Combining two households can be turbulent. Most marriages end in divorce, right? Combining the
Jill Kanto January 9, 2019 152 Comments
Intentional Communities
Living in an Intentional Community: A Case Study of Twin Oaks
Facebook Google+ Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest People often ask me to define “Intentional Community”. In short, it is a planned community of self-selecting residents with common values that prioritize social cohesion, shared responsibilities & shared resources. I find it best to provide an overview of an existing intentional community. Below, I will provide a case study of Twin Oaks. You may resonate with or against some of what you read. Keep in mind that each community decides what works best for
Jill Kanto January 9, 2019 33 Comments
Intentional Communities
2014 Annual Community Conference Recap: First Exposure
Facebook Google+ Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest This was written in 2014 after my first visit to the Annual Communities Conference hosted by Twin Oaks, near Charlottesville, VA. I’ve since returned every Labor Day weekend to catch each year’s conference. Those in attendance hailed from all corners of the US and even some from across the pond. Many were already living communally, others were somewhere in the process of forming communities, while others were just community-curious. Each day consisted of morning and
Jill Kanto January 9, 2019 10 Comments
Intentional Communities
7 Resources for Starting a Community
Forming a community is HARD. I’ve tried (& failed) several times. Forming a community is like starting a business & marrying 30 people at the same time. The odds are really stacked against you. But there are successful communities out there. What did they do right? What resources are available to help you avoid common mistakes?
I HIGHLY recommend Creating a Life Together by Diana Leafe Christian. The author spent decades visiting successful and failed communities to determine what commonalities were found among them. She also outlines a slew of tools & resources.
Jill Kanto January 9, 2019 333 Comments
Intentional Communities
What is the difference between an RV Park & a Tiny House Community?
I get asked that a lot. But I think it is the wrong question. I feel a better question is “What is the difference between a neighborhood and a community?”
Typically, a neighborhood is built to improve the wealth of a developer or landlord. The ultimate goal is profit. On the other end of the spectrum is a people-based model, where the bottom line is maximizing the happiness index & meeting the needs of the residents.
Jill Kanto January 9, 2019 36 Comments
SHINE OUR SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR COMPANY
What is this Site?
Thank you so much for stopping by! My name is Jill Kanto. I built my DIY tiny house in 2015 and have been living tiny since!
This website is my passion project to help tiny house dwellers, dreamers and community builders!
Does STHV Accept Volunteers?
YES! This site could use a lot of love, time and expertise. Because this site is free to use, it doesn’t generate any revenue to pay for talent.
If you’d like to volunteer your time and skills to help this site do good in the world, please see which areas you can help with!
Speaking Opportunities
Prepandemic I attended 1-2 tiny house festivals a month as a speaker and brought a professional courtesty booth to help visitors find places to live in their tiny house. This serves as a great benefit to festival goers, builders and festival organizers alike!
Now that the pandemic is easing, I’d love to help your festival.