Josh Heins and Manu Bohn have been issued an eviction notice for their tiny home on wheels in the Bega Valley. It comes as the local council calls on the NSW government to clarify definitions and approval pathways for moveable dwellings.
00:00Josh and Manu's home may be small, but it fits everything they need.
00:14It's about as long as the biggest crocodile that was ever recorded, but it's not quite
00:19as tall as the average giraffe.
00:22The couple built the tiny home in the Bega Valley two years ago.
00:25They consider it to be a caravan, which generally doesn't require approval in New South Wales.
00:32It sits atop a registrable trailer and it has the ability to be registered as a caravan.
00:37The local council doesn't agree and has issued an eviction notice.
00:41We're very shocked and sad as well.
00:44Council's telling us one thing, that it's a structure.
00:46We're pretty certain it's a caravan.
00:49Across the valley, other movable units are also in dispute with the council.
00:53This all comes back into a container.
00:57They come on a trailer and they are a movable dwelling.
01:00And so we always assumed that they would fit that definition.
01:05Mick Brosnan has been unable to get approval for three movable units used as crisis accommodation.
01:12When you're young or you're facing domestic violence, where do you go?
01:16You've got that crisis.
01:18You need somewhere transitional.
01:20Mr Brosnan says the units fill a gap in the region.
01:24The community has to be more flexible in the way it considers housing.
01:28We don't want to see anyone without a roof over their head.
01:30At the same time, we want to see people actually play by the rules and lodge their DA if that's the right way.
01:37The state government released draft changes to the legislation that deals with movable dwellings nearly two years ago.
02:07The Department of Planning told the ABC it's still working on those reforms.
02:13But it says a separate approval policy for tiny homes is not necessary.
02:18We'd love to just be able to have the authority ourselves to make the decision that suits the council and also the people and the residents of the Bega Valley Shire.
02:25The social justice advocates have taken Bega Valley Shire Council to the Land and Environment Court, with a hearing set for December.
02:34I don't want to fight council, you know, it's not in my interest at all, but I am going to house people. That's a fact.
02:43Manu and Josh are under direction to leave their home in September. They're also appealing.
02:49Of course, we're going to fight for it because this is our home.
02:52The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
02:55The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
02:57The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
02:58The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
02:59The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:00The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:01The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:02The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:03The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:04The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:05The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:06The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
03:07The tiny homes at the centre of a big debate.
Be the first to comment