Riverlution Tiny House Village

The Village

The Riverlution Tiny House Village (the Village) is an intentional community of Tiny Houses on Wheels that is looking to be established in Richmond, Christchurch. The Village has close working relationships with Christchurch City Council, Land Information New Zealand, the Avon-Ōtākaro Network, and Avebury House - all of which have provided much support to the Village. The Village is a partner in the “Riverlution” movement to revitalise Richmond’s community for improved social and environmental wellbeing, alongside Avebury House, Riverlution Cafe, Riverlution Community Garden, and others.

Our small towable dwellings are of the “Tiny Houses on Wheels” movement aesthetic. They are purpose-built to allow one or more persons to live in - including kitchen, bathroom and sleeping facilities. The Village prioritises the specific and special nature of the Tiny Houses on Wheels lifestyle because it is low cost (especially relevant during Aotearoa’s current housing affordability crisis), sustainable (minimal impact on the land and remain moveable when required), and encourages community (due to shared land, facilities, and values).

The Village is to be established in the Richmond area of the Christchurch City Red Zone. We aim to nurture an intetional community of like-minded individuals who will support Red Zone revitalisation by adding social, environmental and economic benefits to the area. Richmond’s Red Zone was predominantly residential area, and has lost a lot of community as it has transitioned into Red Zone land. Much of that land is currently sitting empty while future uses are being decided. Some of that land, particularly around the Avon, is not suitable for traditional foundation-based housing, but it is suitable for adaptable, non-permanent housing options such as Tiny Houses on Wheels.

By temporarily utilising this available land, the Village has the opportunity to show-case alternative systems for housing and infrastructure. The Village’s living processes encourage recycling our wastes and enhancing the immediate area instead of adding burden to the environment and city infrastructure. The Village aims to nurture and improve the health of the land, supporting and adding to the native plants and local wildlife. Along the way it is the Village’s intention to share the knowledge we learn about areas of interest that include sustainable living, kaitiakitanga, creating and re-engaging communities, and working with local authorities to help each other achieve these results.

The Village itself will comprise of the communities’ own tiny houses which they already own and will move into the village once established. Other than that, there will be a minimal amount of infrastructure installed to support the community, such as water/power/internet, paths and lighting, and a shared space for laundering and bicycle parking.

Status

The Village is currently well into the planning phase. Earlier in 2023 we obtained a licence to allow futher investigation at our preferred site, and as of June we’re organising site-specific plans of how the village will look and what infrastructure is required. We’re also now engaging the immediate community, and consulting with a range of stakeholders to apply for the full lease from CCC and to apply for funding to help with the initial infrastructure.

If you are interested and able to provide any support (e.g. with any of the infrastructure install or community engagement), please get in touch. If you would be keen to join the Village with your own tiny house, and you align with our Vision below, let us know!

Village Community Vision

Our intentional community of tiny houses on wheels strives to cultivate a balance between our shared values of …

• Community Engagement. We engage with each other and the greater community (present and past) to add social, environmental and economic benefits.
• Test bed and knowledge-sharing. We test new ideas, embrace change and share our knowledge around alternative systems for housing and infrastructure, such as on-site greywater processing and composting toilet systems.
• Kaitiakitanga. We live sustainably as environmental stewards, nurturing and enhancing the wellbeing of the land and acknowledging those that were here before.
• Self-governance. We aim for egalitarian relationships by practising consent decision making.
• Inclusivity. We live with integrity by respecting diversity and embracing everyone’s contributions, abilities, and gifts.
• Resilience. A community that can adapt and persevere in the face of change e.g. natural disasters.
• Replication. To build a framework that will enable future intentional communities to benefit from our experiences.

FAQ

What is a Tiny House on Wheels (THoW)?

Small towable dwellings of the “Tiny Houses on Wheels” movement aesthetic. They are purpose-built to allow one or more persons to live in - including kitchen, bathroom and sleeping facilities, constructed as a road-warranted trailer.

Can I rent or buy a house in the village?

No - the village will comprise of people bringing their own THoW’s. The aim of this project isn’t to be just another housing provider, but to create a legitimate (council recognised) platform for tiny houses to be a viable housing option. As a small community group we don’t have the capital nor the desire to “own” the whole village and rent houses out as a landlord would, we want the community members to be equal parts of the village, to have personal autonomy while also contributing to the village and wider community. There are many people who already own, or are looking to build or buy, a THoW - we’re providing a community they can join. There will be a weekly rent to cover costs including the land lease cost and infrastructure maintenance.

Will this be an exclusive community?

No - our intention is to nurture a diverse and inclusive community. Anyone can apply, but as this will be an intentional community, and also a pioneering project on council-leased land, we need to be mindful who joins. In particular they must align with our community values, and they must already have their own THoW that meets the safety standards. Our application process will consider the diversity of the whole village and allow priority to applicants of disadvantaged groups in attempt to counter existing systemic imbalances. We’re aware there’s already a large setback in our inclusivity - namely that we’re restricting to those who can already afford to own/build a THoW, but we’ll do our best with that in consideration, and hopefully in the future we’ll be able to provide some support for those limited by that initial step too.

How long could I stay?

Our lease with council will be for an initial 10 years. All going well the hope is that this can be extended in the future. Individuals are not locked into a fixed term, and can leave the village as needs be (though there may be a short notice period, to be determined within the rental contract).

How will the village be governed?

The village will be run by the village members as a sociocracy, comprising overlapping working groups who manage various aspects of village life. A core committee, elected within the members, will handle any policies or wider-reaching decisions, or any issues not easily reaching consensus. The official society that owns the village lease will comprise of that core committee, and a few select outside stakeholders.