In November 2022, I retired and moved from North Carolina to Maine. I ordered a tiny home on wheels from a builder in Vermont to be placed on my daughter’s property. The tiny home was delivered in November 2024.

When I applied for a title, it was denied. The reason: the tiny home on wheels was not registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. However, the chassis manufacturer insisted it was registered with the NHTSA, otherwise it wouldn’t have a vehicle identification number or a numbered certificate of origin.

The builder did not belong to American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators but, at a cost of $3,000, he obtained a National Organization of Alternative Housing (NOAH) certification. Maine, however, does not recognize a NOAH certification. Money wasted.

After spending $50,000 to prepare the property and $136,000 to build the tiny home on wheels, the city is threatening to remove my home from the property.

Both the builder and chassis manufacturer are dumbfounded at the response I’ve gotten; they have placed many tiny homes on wheels throughout New England, including Maine, unchallenged. I don’t know what my solution will be.

If Maine is serious about alleviating its housing dilemma, it needs to review its alternative housing regulations, as they are presently written, and find solutions soon. Seniors like myself and young individuals need affordable alternative housing options.

Jeanne Anderson
Augusta