TINY home residents have been evicted after they engaged in a confusing battle with officials over their village’s size.
Those expelled from the North Carolina site spoke of the shock they’re feeling, as they love being part of a tiny home family.
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“We’re all one big happy family,” Robin Hopkins told local local NBC affiliate WRAL-TV.
She has been living at Buckhorn Veterans Park, situated on the Wilson and Johnston County border, about 50 miles from Raleigh, since 2022.
The tiny home village is near a reservoir, surrounded by nature and just minutes from shopping centers.
SHUT DOWN
The campground – which opened about two decades ago – is popular for its recreational activities and is regarded as a haven for RV dwellers, according to Modern Campground.
However, the park’s bosses said on Wednesday they had no choice but to shut it down.
Eviction notices have been handed to residents, including Hopkins, this week.
“[I was] shocked, angry,” she said.
As a result of the closure, Hopkins has been left homeless.
She told the broadcaster that she has been on a waiting list for a couple of months to relocate to other tiny home villages.
“They say, ‘we’ve got a waiting list… we’ll call if a spot is available,’ and you never hear from them,” she added.
Wilson County told the campground’s bosses that it was operating unlawfully without a permit.
An appeal to stay open was launched – but this legal action was rejected in January.
TOO SMALL
County officials said it was banned from operating as there is a 10-acre requirement for such sites.
But Buckhorn Veterans Park is about six acres.
The county’s rules also state that – aside from the on-site manager/owner – residents are prohibited from living there full-time.
Tiny home eviction rules
Tiny homes are legal in North Carolina – as long as you follow the rules
- Each county and city has different rules and building codes in the state, warns Tinyhouse.com
- Generally, a tiny house ranges between 60 and 400 sq ft
- In Jackson County a habitable room must have at least 120 sq ft of gross floor area
- But in Wilmington and Charlotte at least 150 sq ft and an additional 100 sq ft is needed for each new occupant
- Tiny homeowners must get permits from the local jurisdiction
- Tiny homes in North Carolina must have a kitchen area with a sink
- Plumbing fixtures must be attached to an approved sewage disposal system
- There are also rules for temporary tiny houses such as RVs
- For example, they should not have permanent plumbing or mechanical connections
- It’s illegal to live inside a RV in your backyard
- You must pay property taxes on tiny houses on wheels
“These regulations have left residents and the park’s owners in a difficult position,” reported Modern Campground.
UNFAIR RULES
A spokesman for the park told The US Sun: “We are here for the people.
“There are only two camping grounds here; all of a sudden these rules have come into effect, but they have come into use against our site.
“Some people have already moved.”
Some of our residents have cancer, and one person has had a heart attack, so this has put people in a terrible state of mind.
“We have had people travelling through for a couple of nights, or for work, or when they’re having places built locally,” the man replied when asked why people live there.
“The housing market has totally gone downhill, so these people can’t’ afford to go anywhere else – or their RVs are turned away – so we are here to help people.
“We have been writing to the county, so our question is, why does the camping ground have to be 10 acres, because there are different sized camping grounds all over the state.
“Some are three, some are five acres.”
AMEND RULES
He also sympathized with residents forced to move out.
“We have families here; it’s not going to be that easy – we conveyed that to [county officials], but they turned a blind eye.
“We know the housing market has changed… some of our residents have cancer, and one person has had a heart attack, so this has put people in a terrible state of mind.”
The spokesman explained that “technically” the camping ground has 10 acres – “but not all in one place.”
He said it was not fair that the local rules did not allow for that anomaly.
“We are praying that they will amend these rules… it is sad for these people to have no where to go.”
COUNTY RESPONDS
A county spokesman said residents could remain temporarily at the campground – as long as they are looking for an alternative home.
He confirmed that the site had been sent an official letter from Wilson County Development Services.
“The violation is the continuing use of the real property as a campground/RV park.
“The county Uniform Development Ordinance (UDO) governs the use of this property.
“And any landowner in the county who wants to operate a campground must comply with the regulations set forth in it.
“Our staff have received several calls from current tenants and have explained that the use of the property as a campground is not allowed in the county’s UDO.”
The county has decided not to take enforcement action so long as campers are attempting to relocate.
“The initial Notice of Violation states that all activities associated with the operation of this unlawful campground would cease within 30 days of the initial notice.
“However, the county has documentation showing that the property was being advertised as a campground as recently as December 29th, 2023.
“A January 10, 2024 site investigation confirmed this.
“The county has received no response from [the owner] however, based on the phone call from tenants, [he] has given notice to campers to move out,” he added.
ENFORCEMENT
“The county has decided not to take enforcement action so long as campers are attempting to relocate.”
A campground is only permitted in an Agriculture Residential (AR) zoning district after a special-use permit has been given.
“Campgrounds are required to have a minimum of 10 acres, making the Buckhorn Veterans Park campground insufficient in size by more than four acres.
“Requirements for campgrounds include a limitation on temporary occupancy, limited to 90 days per calendar year.
“The issue is with the property owner since he is in violation of the UDO, not with the individuals who reside there,” the spokesman added.
PRAYING
“I pray to the good lord that everyone can find a place,” said George Hartman, a campground resident.
He is adamant there is adequate space for residents.
“If you got enough room and you’ve been taken care of, why ruin it?” he added.
The site transitioned in 2015 to house people wanting to park their RVs, campers, or trailers on a more permanent basis, explained Modern Campground.
EVICTION CRISIS
The US eviction crisis was highlighted in an op-ed published by CNN in February.
The story alludes to the current “housing affordability crisis.”
“For individuals under the threat of eviction, studies have uncovered links to a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicides, high blood pressure and child maltreatment,” the authors said.
They cited a new study evaluating data from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab and the US Census Bureau.
This study said that each year, 2.7 million households receive an eviction filing.
“Each year, 2.9 million children are affected by an eviction filing, and the typical eviction case filed in America involves one child.
“Millions of American renter households every year are threatened with eviction, an event associated with severe negative impacts on health and economic well-being,” it added.
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