Buying a tiny home/trailer/getting help from habitat from humanity as backup

[Davsey85]

Realizing that as an individual with a chronic condition perhaps there may need to have a backup plan

A tiny dwelling place in the south is one idea I was thinking 

Before I spend my money away 

About 17k in savings and 700-850/month in ssdi income. is there any way to get a place in the rural south with kitchen,bedroom ,heater,traditional landline and ethernet and have my own acreage plot of land  

I'd rather not live in section 8 around others if possible.

I'd like to be a little bit away from the power grid.

Maybe somewhere in the woods in the south away from big cities 

And then consider traveling on the road 

Thank You

 

[maki2]

Lots of rules to meet to qualify for Habitat for Humanity housing. You have to put in a certain number of hours of work on the home you will help to build or rehab. Plus there is a long waiting list in most places.

One of those rules is you have to be a first time buyer. That means if you truly plan on getting into that program you need to realize any intermin housing needs to be something you essentialy rent.

So the first thing to do is research and then comply with all of the requirements of the Habitat for Humanity program if that is your goal. If you do not qualify the look at your plan B because plan A (Habitat) is not then a valid option..

 

[WanderingRose]

You are also required to have income adequate to make mortgage payments.

https://www.habitat.org/housing-help/apply

Most Habitat homes in my area go to working families with one or two parents, and I’ve also seen them go to foster parents, but they aren’t free.

On SSDI, you might be eligible for subsidized federal housing.

 

[Morgana]

I really hope I'm wrong about this, but my impression is there just aren't a lot of "tiny" places. At least, I've been hoping x10 years to save on rent by getting a small apartment, and it's almost never worked out. The more I downsize, the bigger the apartments I get, just because that's what's available.

I don't know why more people don't invest in studios/efficiencies (or, heck, campsites for car campers), but they don't seem to. Too bad we don't do like Japan does (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/04/20/lifestyle/tokyos-tiny-living-spaces/). Or do something with shipping containers -- I think there was a project in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. 1000 years ago I once stayed in a motel that was completely made of shipping containers and it was surprisingly comfortable. You'd think there'd be a market for it these days. If there's any real estate tycoons on this list, they should look into it!

Life is pretty random and you could get lucky tomorrow. But most likely it will take lots of work to make it happen. (I'll also second what others have already said, that it doesn't sound like the usual Habitat for Humanity project.) Make your goals as specific as possible and research, research, research. Good luck!

 

[Sofisintown]

If your idea of "south" is south California, I'm afraid you are out of luck.
Like others said, the habitat waiting list is endless, and families are considered first.
However, if 'south' includes Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri, it is very possible to get a lot for a couple thousand dollars, and park an old RV or cabin on it for the money you have. You have to be aware of restrictions before you buy anything.
Rural means that internet connection will be from your phone, and not always reliable. Electricity is debatable, if there are poles on the road, otherwise you will have to pay a lot to connect, and probably not in your budget. Also you have to think about water and sewer connection or a -costly- septic.
When you set up, you will still have maintenance and bills, so don't expect to travel much.
Good luck.

 

[Davsey85]

Yes I'm open to going south ..

Close to being off grid with very few people around

Today I found a ranch airbnb near Roasaito Mexico

and it wasaround 360/month away from the city

I'm finding that a bit of my health issues is

connected to environmental health so I'm seeking to

be away from cities/powerlines

Some clean air,low mold and very quiet and felt

pretty good there today but my father who im

traveling with said it was too isolating

If I could afford such a thing in an a rural area with

17k in savings and 850 in ssdi id be open to this

option if moving south

Yes open to moving away from California

In a sort of 1960s type environment before all of

the extra power grid stuff

Due to some cognitive difficulties I'm not a handy

man .I do have some nuerocognitive difficulties

of getting lost

I feel unwell living in cities with populations and

seem to feel better in ghost towns,lower population

areas

And seeking to go somewhere where I can access

good sunlight and low population

Thank you

 

[Davsey85]

I know it may sound crazy and controversial

But one of my goals would be to minimize as much electromagnetic radiation as possible.

Perhaps using only landline phones and ethernet and only using the cell phone for emergencies

Logistics is a challenge with the amount of money I am using

Thank You

 

[RoamerRV428]

if you are open to a full on move then hit the internet.

there are 'tons of cheap' land out there for sale, a 1/2 acre away from town, in a non-touristy high priced location and all that out there. You just have to find it.

Habit for Humanity I don't think will suit you cause you do have alot of red tape and alot of plan guidelines to fit their program but of course, best you can do is call and ask for yourself and explain your issues.

you could get 1/2 to an acre for 5K in Florida still, but note you might be having alligators as your neighbors for sure and be in a more swampy type area? Or you can get yourself a few acres in the more mountain regions of Alabama or Georgia easily for a few grand an acre but of course again, you will be IN the boonies, but if that is what you desire, then go search and find it cause it is out there and just be careful before purchase. More money you have left to 'make your off grid or isolated homestead' suit you will be good instead of putting all the bucks into the land purchase of course.

wish you the best, alot of research and alot of figuring out what you want is key here.....but if you want it to go down a certain way, you can make it happen for you....just take the time to figure it out, google up 'cheap land in FL, or AL, or Arizona or ?? anywhere you wanna check. You just have to start somewhere and keep on looking and whitting down what your interests are and you could hit on a great solution for yourself

 

[maki2]

I think you might want to be in a different forum, one focused in living on purchased land. This group is focused on living in vans, cars, etc. Solar power is not free of electro magnetic radiation. No electrical power is including that produced by wind andvwater. You will of course need light and heat and fuel for cooking and those items, other than a solar oven, emit pollution as a by product of producing energy by burning a fuel source. So essentially you yourself will be creating localized pollution wherever you go.

 

[DLTooley]

That plan b is important.

Do realize there are two forms of federally subsidized housing, project and non-project. Section 8 is non-project and can be used with anyone who will takes it and meets basic standards. Availability of each varies.

Get on the waiting lists in a place where you want to live, probably better if you have some sort of connection or develop one through volunteering, etc.

As we are technically homeless we do get a priority on the list.

 

[WanderingRose]

One of the important things to remember about owning a tiny home and a piece of property anywhere are the ongoing costs of mortgage, utilities and property taxes, as well as upkeep/maintenance.

In addition to Section 8, which you can carry to any landlord that will accept it/meets eligibility criteria, many of the more rural counties around the country have small, federally subsidized housing complexes for low income persons.

I have an elderly relative in one, and she has her own small apartment that she can afford on her SSDI.

And not in a large project in a city.

There are waiting lists, tho, and you should start where you have residence as getting into these places in other parts of the country is difficult if not impossible.

 

[maki2]

There are some RV parks and trailer parks around tgat accept section 8 vouchers. I do not have personal experience with that system but I have heard it mentioned now and again by a few people here and there who have done that.

Worth looking into as an option as there are some mobile home parks that allow tiny homes. It would only cover the cost of the space rent unless the tiny home was part of a packaged space rent plus the rented house already on it deal. I have seen some of these exact same setups of tiny houses in mobile home parks while traveling in rural Oregon. Seems like a possiblle solution if they would accept a low income housing voucher.

 

[crofter]

What about a used travel trailer? they are easier to move than a tiny house and cheaper. The 5th wheels are popular here.

There is currently an older park model for sale here for $18.5K, and a bunch more higher priced ones. I would not personally spend over $20K for a rig.
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

There are quite often good deals on older larger RVs that are no longer road worthy in over 55 parks in the southwest.

 

[RoamerRV428]

yea you really have to think....what do I truly want? how do I truly want to live? what floats your boat then darn it, you move forward and make it happen but this could take time and research and more..........so do you at all times find your path and move forward any way you can! In the end your efforts will put you right where you wanted to be hopefully!!

 

[Davsey85]

Too live simply

However im.not in good physical condition to do the volunteer hours for habitat for humanity

I small dwelling in rural Alabama with a kitchen,heater for winter,Ac,bathroom,stove amd electricity is one option

Is this doable with 17k in savings and about 700-800 in ssdi ?

 

[nature lover]

I have no resources, cash wise. But if I did I think I try to do something that I have fantasized about. I was thinking of buying or building a shed type structure that had a Overhead door. The van will take up half the shed and the other half would be used to Have a refrigerator, a freezer,a wood stove and may be a table for working on projects, season al items that can crowd the van, and such. I would still live in the van. Or at least sleep in it and be able to have the doors open so that the heat in that shed could heat the van too. Seems like that would be the cheapest way and be very convenient because all my clothes, equipment, books, and More could stay exactly where they are. the van would be always ready to travel just open the door and pull it out. But that’s a pipe dream. I have plenty of ideas but not many resources to pull them off.

 

[Davsey85]

@nature lover

Interesting idea

Would this be off grid where you have no running water,electricity,heater,Ac,septic system,etc?

 

[DLTooley]

People are looking at, and doing, that.  Hopefully an on-site composting toilet could be part of that minimal package in at least a few SW counties.

 

[jacqueg]

@nature lover

Interesting idea

Would this be off grid where you have no running water,electricity,heater,Ac,septic system,etc?

It could be. Whether you could do this depends on the zoning of the land and on how much you personally care about observing the zoning. There apparently are still a few counties in Arizona and a few other states that would allow this. But they are getting fewer all the time.

Here's a list of counties that don't require building permits, but I don't know how up-to-date it is - https://offgridgrandpa.com/states-and-counties-with-no-building-codes/