In the East Bay, more and more residents are investing in tiny homes. It’s a trend spurred by the region’s ongoing housing crisis of skyrocketing prices and low availability. 

In 2015, the Berkeley City Council voted to streamline rules for homeowners who wanted to add accessory dwelling units — also known as granny units or in-law units — to their homes. The change in regulations allowed homeowners to proceed without a planning permit, and parking requirements were made simpler, too.

Photo Via PXHere / CC0

Now, developers are capitalizing on the trend, designing tiny homes roughly the size of shipping containers. According to a report by Berkeley Side, different developers have different goals. While Panoramic Interests aims to create potential housing for the homeless, Avava Systems wants to add to the Bay Area’s housing stock. 

In terms of cost, these homes are indeed more affordable than most Bay Area properties. For example, the lowest cost of a home by Avava is $160,000 and they come in five sizes: 270, 360, 490, 650, or 750 square feet. What they don’t always come with, however, is the land to plant them on. 

It remains to be seen if the tiny home trend could play a part in improving availability in the high-demand Bay Area region.