Tiny house Oregon building codes approved despite safety concerns

The Oregonian: SALEM -- House lawmakers passed building codes for so-called tiny houses on Tuesday, despite concern from officials that the codes may provide for substandard safety conditions.

House Bill 2737 passed 43-16 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. The bill would require the state Department of Consumer and Business Services to adopt specialty building codes for prefabricated and site-built homes that are less than 400 square feet.

Bill author Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, said the bill is intended to streamline building requirements for tiny homes. Those homes could have a "real impact" on Oregon's housing shortage, she said, if used to give shelter to homeless or low-income people.

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