Minimum Square Footage: A Form of Insidious Segregation?

[Bearu]

I was recently reading about a few obstacles for the Tiny House Movement in many areas of the country. A major obstacle the movement faces involves the presence of minimum square footage requirements for a detached structure that a person inhabits. The details of a minimum square footage ordinances varies from location to location, but the original purpose of the ordinances was to prevent the overcrowding seen in many tenement housing of the late 1890's and early 1900's. The presence of the ordinances in the contemporary society, however, could involve an aspect of income segregation because the wealthy areas could, and do, set higher minimum lot size and square footage ordinances that expel any potential lower income people from owning property in the area. What do you think about the establishment of minimum square footage ordinances in a city and the potential ramifications the ordinances hold for the production of affordable housing in many expensive areas.

[Unorthodox]

As you note, it's a law that can cut both ways.  There is a valid reason for the minimum space rules, however, I seem to remember there's a national? guideline for those.  City ordinances, you should be able to obtain a variance, provided your structure is within the overarching guideline.  IIRC, Mobile homes can skirt the regulations as well, since they are not permanent, and there's always clever ways to use outbuildings as a 'workshop' or 'studio' if your have a property owner willing to let you build on their property.