OPERATION POCKET CHANGE

[bobhenry]

I have been here several years and helped who I could and it is with a real sense of embarrassment I am asking for a tiny bit of help from as many of you as possible.

I am being fined $50.00 a day for having the tiny house on my property. It will not come to trial until Feb 3rd of 2015. At that time I will owe $5750.00.

My current Social security check is $1243 a month so $1500 a month in fines will be impossible to keep up with. What I would like to ask of any of you who can, is to donate a days or a weeks pocket change to flood the Clinton County Indiana's clerks office with tiny pain in the ass checks from here and there and everywhere. It must be referenced 12D11412SC000871 and addressed to the ....

Clinton County Indiana clerks office
265 courthouse square
Frankfort, IN 46041 with the reference on the check of 12D11412SC000871

The option is to address them to my P.O.Box 895 Frankfort, IN 46041 but still paid to the clerks office. I will track the donations that come to my attention and should I get a favorable ruling all donations traced back to each site will be donated back to that forum site.

I am in hopes the flood of teenie, tiny checks will show the support nation wide for the tiny house concept. Perhaps we can yet be the land of the free and the home of the brave too bad we have to resort to civil disobedience to force the change. I am hopeful that the Indiana Code 36-7-8-3d will be upheld by the court. This law allows a person to build his own home on his own property without government interference with regard to zoning or building codes. It is a throw back to the pioneer spirit that built our country.

My deepest thanks to any who may make this tiny effort to help me make a stand and show there are those of us who feel that our home on our property should not be against the law. Bob

[stumphugger]

Ummm, I support building codes. They kinda sorta protect folks who buy used homes and make things a leetle bit safer for those doing the building and living. If you saw what was built on this place, you would think that permits and codes are a good thing. It was built without a permit, or inspections and was scary. Stumps were used for foundation, the second floor felt like it would collapse, and the electrical was cheap extension cords wired into regular electrical wiring. I had it torn down. They were lucky the place hadn't burned down. Sorry. Good luck.

[bobhenry]

Well mine was not. all outlets are to code and GFI equiped where needed. 2x6 construction with full shear wall wrap. Cross walled for stability and the truss system is fully attached in a manner that makes a horseshoe out of each pair of wall studs when combined with the truss combination.




P.S no stumps for a foundation.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=47804

[shootr]

I'm going to guess more than a few of us have or have had issues with municipalities and our TnTTT's.

My personal ongoing drama: I have my 4'x8' TD parked next to the driveway in front of my house, covered with a clean fresh car cover. Well the city says that's a no-no, no trailers forward of the front edge of a house.

The pisser is I have a beautiful RV gate on the side - with a 50' pine tree planted dead center of the opening. I have no clue what the original owners were thinking way back when. When we moved here this year we didn't have the TD yet so it didn't matter.

Long story short: I can cut down a magnificent tree that did nothing wrong but grow up and shade my house, or hire a mason to the tune of $2100 to extend a different part of the fence, add a gate, and block in the old one. All to hide a lil bitty trailer.

Thing is - our city folks are extremely friendly and are working with us while I get bids and funds to get this done. I keep them in the loop, they update the case, and in the end it'll get worked out.

I see the need for it though: last thing I want is someone else with a trash hauler parking right next door - hey, it's a trailer too so if they allow mine, have to allow theirs. Necessary evil but rules are rules and these are reasonable ones that I shall abide by.

I know it doesn't help your situation, just trying to share experiences.

[deleted]

I will help you Bob by sending a small check.

There's a big difference between saying there should be a no zoning free-for-all and asking zoning boards to update their (often decades old) codes in order to evolve with the changing needs (of many) our country is moving towards. There's no reason to force people to purchase, own, and live in a home larger than their needs or that they can maintain.

Do there need to be rules and standards? Absolutely! Should people be able to put up rickety shacks? No. Should a family of six be able to live in a 140 sq foot home? No. But should a single person with no children be able to live in a small, safe, well designed and constructed space that is easy for them to both afford and maintain so long as it aesthetically meets the same appearance codes as neighboring buildings? I think yes.

The path you've chosen has and will continue to be a tough one. Wishing you the very best and a favorable resolution.

[bobhenry]

Hugs Stacie !

Make it a tiny check With odd pennies I want to make their bookkeeper pull her hair out.

[jstrubberg]

Good luck with your problem, Bob.

I will tell you that I have never gotten a better situation by being nasty to the help. You want things to change, you go to the boss. The lady processing the payments doesn't have any more say than you do.

[bobhenry]

Good luck with your problem, Bob.

I will tell you that I have never gotten a better situation by being nasty to the help. You want things to change, you go to the boss. The lady processing the payments doesn't have any more say than you do.

I was hoping a nation wide show of support for the tiny house movement might help to fortify the need for new zoning laws that no longer lump these dwelling into RV's and or mobile homes. Square footage rules also need to be relaxed on foundation homes as well. I have no intention to be mean to anyone. If their job becomes a bit more demanding by having to process multiple donations I am sorry. I have spent enough time in the courthouse in the last 8 months to know our municipal workers are not overworked and seem to find time for catalogue shopping and nail filing.

I know of two donations heading to OPERATION POCKET CHANGE. I have also gotten some exposure thanks to Greg Johnson of the Small Home society. Thanks Greg

[48Rob]

I am being fined $50.00 a day for having the tiny house on my property.

Bob,

Wouldn't it make more sense to move the trailer off your property to avoid the fines?

Does the city allow on street parking?
Perhaps you could "camp" in the courthouse parking lot and make friends with the local officials...

There must be some other way to "fight" city hall than to ignore an order and go broke or be jailed because of it?

Rob

[Greg Barrick]

Morning BobHenry. Boy, that sucks. I'm on SS too. Poorer than a church mouse. But since I'm not an illegal, I don't receive any benefits.
Anyway, I'm not sure if this applies to trailers, but Indiana has the "log cabin law." Basically, as long as you do it yourself, no building permits required, just do it. (as long as you don't encroach on property or obstruct neighbors view) May be worth checking into.

[bobhenry]

Thanks Greg....

It is not a trailer mobile home or RV it's a tiny house on wheels. I purposely did not add lights or plate it to differentiate it from either. I know it's a matter of semantics but you have to do what you have to do to get new laws written.

As to the log cabin rule I found it about 3 months ago and proudly gave them a copy. They dismissed it and said it didn't apply.

IC 36-7-8-3
Establishment of building, heating, ventilating, electrical,
plumbing, and sanitation standards; ordinances
Sec. 3. (a) The legislative body of a county having a county
department of buildings or joint city-county building department
may, by ordinance, adopt building, heating, ventilating, air
conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and sanitation standards for
unincorporated areas of the county. These standards take effect only
on the legislative body's receipt of written approval from the fire
prevention and building safety commission.
(b) An ordinance adopted under this section must be based on
occupancy, and it applies to:
(1) the construction, alteration, equipment, use, occupancy,
location, and maintenance of buildings, structures, and
appurtenances that are on land or over water and are:
(A) erected after the ordinance takes effect; and
(B) if expressly provided by the ordinance, existing when the
ordinance takes effect;
(2) conversions of buildings and structures, or parts of them,
from one occupancy classification to another; and
(3) the movement or demolition of buildings, structures, and
equipment for the operation of buildings and structures.
(c) The rules of the fire prevention and building safety
commission are the minimum standards upon which ordinances
adopted under this section must be based.
(d) An ordinance adopted under this section does not apply to
private homes that are built by individuals and used for their own
occupancy.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.27. Amended by P.L.8-1984,
SEC.125.

[bobhenry]

I am being fined $50.00 a day for having the tiny house on my property.

Bob,


There must be some other way to "fight" city hall than to ignore an order and go broke or be jailed because of it?

Rob

Looking for my day in court. I'm basically homeless now and have about 4 grand to pay on my finger amputation. So what's another 5 or 6 grand.
The Zoning czar threatened me with jail. I replied "3 hots and a cot is better (and warmer) than homeless. Do you think they will give me work release so I can keep up with the fines"? He didn't seem amused

[Greg Barrick]

Bob Henry, If ya just need to move it for awhile, and can get it up to Howe, my back yard is available. Just a thought.

[bobhenry]

Had to look on the map for that one. I think I know how Howe got it's name.....

Someone asked Howe in the hell did you not wind up in Michigan?
On a more serious note
A very profound thanks to you sir for your offer !

I built the house to be close to my work and I have purchased the ground. The State tells me I can build what I want on my property and the County is telling me the State statute doesn't apply. Someone is wrong ! Our country was founded in revolution of British tyranny. Some times you have to do what you have to do. I don't think the county wants to see me fined or jailed. They are simply trying to beat me into submission and to get back in ranks with the rest of the sheep. I may regret my decision but it is my decision to try and live my life off grid in my tiny paid for house on my tiny paid for spot of ground with my little dog and a big garden. Is that too much to ask of life.

[tac422]

Bob,
If the trailer was set on a foundation, it wouldn't be a trailer anymore, but a true "tiny home." And IAW the log cabin law.
Wouldn't that would be an easier fight to win ?