DeLand, Fla. — Leaders with the city of DeLand say they are looking at alternative ways to solve the affordable housing crisis they are seeing in their community.

What You Need To Know

  • On Monday, the DeLand City Commission heard a presentation from staff members outlining a set of draft regulations for tiny homes and tiny home communities in the city 

  • During the meeting, they discussed the idea and presented models showing what these tiny homes would look like

  • The city is looking at tiny homes as an alternative in addressing the affordable housing issues the city faces

  • An amendment to the city’s code would allow for tiny homes between the size of 200 an 600 square feet to be built in residential areas, and would allow for a maximum of 20 homes per two-acres

In order to provide additional affordable housing options and opportunities for infill development within the city’s core gateway overlay, city staff presented on Monday a set of draft regulations introducing the concept of tiny homes.

“Right now, people cannot build tiny home communities in DeLand just based on our regulations,” Community Information Manager Chris Graham said. “And there’s been a desire for it from developers, from people who would like to live here in DeLand.” 

He said over the years, a number of developers have expressed interest in building tiny home communities within the city, however, it’s not been possible before.  

On Monday, city commissioners discussed the idea and presented models showing what these tiny homes would look like.

Staff presented an amendment to the city’s code that would allow for tiny homes between the size of 200 and 600 square feet to be built in residential areas, and would allow for a maximum of 20 homes per two-acres.

“We just wanted to get a sense of, you know, what they would like to see with the tiny home community here in DeLand,” Graham said. “How would they like it to look and feel? And how can we ensure that it fits with our city?”

They also proposed building them near to downtown DeLand to give residents easier access to businesses and city services like transportation.

In the presentation, staff defined a “tiny home” as: A small-format residential structure built as part of a multi-family development with a minimum of 200 square feet to a maximum of 600 square feet under heat and air. Said structure is transportable in one or more sections on a temporary chassis or other conveyance device, and designed to be used on a permanent foundation system. The structure contains plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and an electrical system, meets all applicable Florida Building Code standards and meets all ADA and Fair Housing Act standards.

They also discussed the term “tiny home community” — which would be defined as a multi-family development of three or more tiny homes on a single lot or parcel.

“We’re trying to see if there're ways that we can provide an affordable solution for people who would like to own a home but maybe cannot afford a three- or four-bedroom home right now,” Graham said.

At the Monday City Commission meeting, Graham said there was a positive response from the community, including the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia and members of the First Presbyterian Church in DeLand, who say they are happy to see the conversation getting started.

“We at First Presbyterian Church in our tiny home little community team are extremely excited that it’s now been heard by the commissioners and seeing it a document,” church elder Kurt Backstrom said.

He said a church group already provides several services to help the homeless, from hygiene supplies to making sleeping mats to give away.

“And then we have several people that help out to keep it supplied,” he said. “And our church has done great with donations.”

Backstrom said the idea of tiny homes first came to him while sitting in the church garden talking to the pastor, after seeing the need for affordable housing.

Have you heard about the concept of tiny homes and tiny home communities? The City of DeLand is exploring this idea as an alternative to help solve the affordable housing issues they are facing. Tune in to @MyNews13 for the story. Pictures courtesy of the City of DeLand. pic.twitter.com/MGt2qCeud0

— Massiel Leyva (@LeyvaMassiel) July 18, 2024

He said they believe opening a door to the concept of tiny homes will be a potential solution to address the affordable housing problems in DeLand.

“I think everybody will admit that affordable housing is an issue, and it’s not going to get any better,” Backstrom said. “I don’t believe so. And we’re finding a lot more people who didn’t think they’d be homeless are now homeless or people right on the edge one paycheck away or one bill that they didn’t expect away.”

Graham agreed that the city could use additional affordable housing.

“There’s a need for it,” Graham said. “We just had to figure out what’s the best way for it to look here in DeLand, you know, to make sure that it fits with our community.”

After presenting the project to the Planning Board on Wednesday, Graham said a draft of regulations for the tiny homes could be ready in three to four months.

The next step in the process will be to send residents a survey for the city to get their input about the tiny homes project.

Graham said the survey is expected to go out next month.