4 minute read
Small By Choice
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by Diane Ciarloni
Nowhere in the definition of to be allowed within city limits. The sense “community” is there a mention of community binding together these of tiny homes. That’s certainly not 13 tiny houses is stronger than anything surprising, especially since we live in the society has seen since the disappearance age of BIG. Who in the world chooses to of America’s front porches. live small? And why? Jake Pasch-Cooper Answer: 13 couples/ families who reside in the Tiny Home Village THE RESIDENTS INSIST THAT WHITTLING and his fiance Caris are high school sweethearts as well as of Lake Dallas in tidy, DOWN THEIR LIVING the only Lake Dallas well-constructed SPACES HAS GREATLY natives in the Village. homes of 400 square feet or less. Since moving into the Village, conceived INCREASED THE RICHNESS OF THEIR OVERALL LIVES. Covid-19 postponed their wedding plans and made Jake especially cautious around his and developed by neighbors. His job puts native son Terry Lantrip, the residents him in contact with many people and he insist that whittling down their living spaces has greatly increased the richness does his best to not bring anything back to the Village. of their overall lives. This, by the way, is “We can’t socialize as much one-on-one,” the first tiny home project in the country says Cooper, “but I still know we can reach
out if we need anything. There’s a spirit of group chats, when we find out if anyone helping one another and a strong sense of needs anything. belonging that we like.” “I know how debt feels and I don’t want Their home is 233 square feet. They and that for Ryan. The house becomes hers cat Daisy love it. “We’re 22 and 24 years when she’s 18, so she can begin her adult old,” said Caris. “We didn’t want to rent life debt-free.” but we knew we couldn’t get a home Anyone doubting the versatility and loan. There were only adaptability of a tiny two spaces left in the “THE PLAN CAME home should speak with Village and there was a tiny home builder who wanted to be part of the TOGETHER AND WE FEEL WE COULDN’T Zack and Kaitlin Schraub. They share 310 square feet with four-year-old Lila development. The plan BE IN A BETTER and 18-month-old Hollis. came together and we POSITION, EITHER They wanted to own a feel we couldn’t be in a FINANCIALLY home and, now, they do. better position, either OR FEELING OF They were careful to financially or feeling COMMUNITY.” design dedicated of community.” spaces for everyone, Micah Eady, 10-year-old daughter Ryan, with separate bedrooms for Lila, Hollis, a dog, and a cat live in 390 square feet. and mom and dad. Zack is an elementary “We love the close-knit community ties,” school teacher, faced with changes when she says. “We had movie nights until the COVID-19 crafted the new normal. Indigo heat hit. We share a garden, cook out. River, the Schraubs’ builder, stepped up There are social trips and we all look out with modifications. for the Village kids. COVID-19 stopped a “We built-in a desk for my computer and I lot of our activities but we still have nightly set up a whiteboard. I finished the school year as well as summer school. Everything about these homes, as well as the outdoor areas, is such a great utilization of sustainable space,” said Zack.
Kaitlin agrees. “I need seven minutes to vacuum my entire house,” she chuckles, “and I do it all from one plug! That gives me more time for my family and neighbors.”
Two larger-size dogs, 10-year-old son Jakub, six-year-old daughter Cora, sixfoot-three-inch husband Richard (Rick) and wife/mother Katherine all live in the 375 square foot home designed by the Schon family and built by Richard. Jakub is very proud of his dad.
“I home school the kids and this is a perfect arrangement for spending quality family time,” insists Kathrine. “We have tight communal ties but we’re also respectful of everyone’s space. We know if someone wants to share a bag of ice or whatever else. One of the biggest benefits of the Village is it allows our kids to grow up feeling safe and secure.”
