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Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy is building a tiny home on her property in an effort to help address “one of the region’s most critical issues” — affordable living.
“We’re not getting the green light from the county or the province to develop more houses on farmland,” said Bondy, who is working with Laneway Homes to build an additional dwelling unit (ADU) on her property.
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“If we want to see more houses built cheaper and faster, this is the way of the future,” Bondy said.
The project is notable not only because it’s the second tiny home in Essex, but because it marks the first time a local elected official is personally constructing an additional dwelling unit on their property.
Bondy told the Star she took the project on to set an example and encourage others to consider similar solutions to address the local housing shortage.
“I think she’s taking good leadership and showing that this is one way to tackle the issue,” said owner of Laneway Homes Dan Radmore. “There’s a lot of backyards in the Windsor-Essex area and we have the opportunity to start helping with this crisis and offer affordable housing for a greater group of people.”
The 430-square-foot detached ADU will include a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room.
Tiny homes and other forms of ADUs have become a popular solution to ease the pressure on the housing market. With the average sale price of a local home close to $600,000, owning a house in Windsor-Essex is not a realistic option for many.
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“As an elected official in Essex, I pay attention to the trends in different housing types that we want to offer residents,” said Bondy. “This type of housing style is really appealing because people want to downsize.”
Homeowner fears of what’s required to get a tiny home built, including lack of knowledge about regulations and the building approvals process, is perhaps the biggest discouragement. But Radmore said the company manages the entire process — offering homeowners a hassle-free experience.
“We manage the entire project from concept to completion,” Radmore said. “We will navigate municipal details, permits, construction and hand you the keys when we are all done.”
The cost of building a tiny home ranges from $160,000 to $300,000, according to the local builder’s website. The price depends on factors such as the size of the unit, the materials used, and the complexity of the design.
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The company’s lowest price point model is a 352-square-foot studio unit that offers an open concept with “all the comforts of a home.” The most expensive model is a 750-square-foot unit priced at $278,800.
“I want to be able to walk people through this process step by step,” said Bondy. “It is not nearly as daunting as I thought it was going to be.”
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