The tiny houses in Minitopia Eindhoven are wildly popular. Almost a year ago, the first resident moved into her tiny house on Buurtschap te Veld, in the north of the city. There are now 10 spots left and 200 people are on the waiting list.
“In the beginning it took some getting used to, but now I like it. Everything I need is in my tiny house. I can’t add more, so I don’t start collecting stuff,” says resident Corina de Weijer. She has lived in her new tiny house since October 2022. Because of the housing shortage, Corina chose a tiny house. “I couldn’t get a house. Through the housing corporation, I would be on the waiting list for years. I didn’t want that.”
A year ago, several residents started building their tiny houses. Since then, 22 houses have been completed and 33 are still under construction. Of the 100 spots, 10 are still available. These last ten spots are in high demand. A total of 200 people are on the waiting list.
Designed by residents
Katja Heidweiller also managed to secure a spot. For her, the sustainability and financial benefits are important reasons why she chose a tiny house. “In a few years, we will have paid off our loan and our fixed costs are low”, she says. Residents of Minitopia get to design their tiny house entirely by themselves – an additional reason why Katja signed up.
Drop out at the last minute
Despite its popularity, Katja also notices that many people still drop out at the last minute. “Because of inflation, the costs have risen considerably. We also notice this ourselves. Another thing many people don’t know is that there are fixed amounts for electricity and water connection. That’s easily around 2,000 euros.”
In September, the organisation will distribute the last 10 spots. You can still register for a spot, although the chances of being selected are not great.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Martijn
