Tiny Houses: A Real Solution to Housing Affordability

Housing is front and centre in national conversation — and rightly so. It was a key issue in the recent Federal election and continues to be discussed at all levels of government.

But here’s the problem: housing affordability gets lumped in with housing availability and homelessness, as if they all require the same solution. Most of the focus is on community and social housing for those in crisis. That’s important — and necessary. But it’s not the full picture.

What about the people who don’t qualify for assistance? What about those who don’t want a handout — just a way forward?

That’s where Tiny Houses on wheels come in.

You don’t need to own land. That’s the breakthrough.
You can live in a well-built, comfortable tiny home parked on someone else’s land — and pay a small rental fee.

In many cases, your entire tiny home can be paid off in 7 years.
After that, your housing costs drop dramatically. It’s affordable from day one, and only gets more so.

Plenty of people aren’t looking for a four-bedroom home with a big mortgage.
They’re looking for secure, safe, and flexible shelter — not a property portfolio.

Government schemes like the First Home Buyers incentive work for some. They help stimulate construction and support the traditional housing market. That’s great — for those who want that path.
But let’s create a legal and practical path for others too — people who want to live simply, affordably, and on their own terms.

We need to stop forcing everyone into the same model.

Owning a traditional home is not everyone’s dream.
Many are happy to rent — but even that’s becoming out of reach.

We’re hearing stories of long-term renters being priced out overnight.
Of people needing to earn over $120,000 a year just to qualify for average rentals.
That’s simply not possible for many — especially women in their 50s and 60s who are re-entering the workforce after raising children.

This is a quiet crisis.
And the solution is right in front of us.

Tiny homes offer a legal, flexible, affordable housing option.
Let’s make space for them in planning laws, local government policies, and community conversations.

Let’s talk housing for everyday working people. Not just those in crisis. Not just those who want to “enter the market.”

People like you and me.

To stay up-to-date with the conversation, join the Tiny Home Resource Centre community here.

---

Key Takeaways: Why Tiny Houses on Wheels Deserve Serious Attention

• Housing affordability is the gap between what people earn and what housing costs. To close that gap, we either need to raise incomes — or reduce the cost of housing.

• Land is one of the biggest costs in housing.
  Remove the need to own land, and affordability improves significantly.

• Tiny homes are a smart solution for young adults.
  Living in a tiny home on their parents’ property can be a first step to independence — without the massive cost of renting or buying outright.

• Tiny homes support ageing in place.
  Older parents can live close to adult children while maintaining their own space, privacy, and financial autonomy.

• They offer practical housing for many overlooked groups.
  Think: people with disabilities, students, veterans, seasonal workers, or essential staff in remote areas. Flexibility is the key.

• They give people real choice.
  Not everyone wants to own a home. Not everyone can. Tiny homes offer a secure, low-cost alternative for renters who just want somewhere stable and liveable.

• No one should be forced to live tiny.
  But no one should be locked out of safe, affordable housing just because their solution doesn’t fit the norm.