YORK COUNTY, Va. (WVEC) -- Tom and Karen Rogers are fighting to keep their "tiny house." Living in "tiny houses" is a popular down-sizing trend that's taking place across the country.
Karen Rogers explained, "A tiny house can be, actually for some people a tiny house is maybe 11-hundred square feet but it's normally 600 or 500- (square feet) or less feet," she said.
The house is located in a mobile home park community in York County. The couple said months ago the county gave them the okay to have the house in the neighborhood but now county leaders are taking them to court; saying they must vacate the house.
Pepper Hux is a neighbor and she said all of the residents signed a petition to keep the Tom and Karen Rogers in their community, "They're wonderful people, that tiny house right there is not hurting anybody. It has ten straps on it . Our mobile home only has 8. I mean it's not going anywhere."
A county attorney said the house must go because of public safety issues, and it doesn't have a HUD seal or approval. Karen scoffed, "This is built better than a lot of your houses you're going to find in Ford's Colony (a gated community in York County). Safety? Our house is threatening? I heard that too and it makes no sense, " Karen said.
The wife believes the county wants them out to keep other people who want more affordable housing from moving into the county, "I think they are like most of the historic area, are very much against workforce type of houses. If they would have their way all the people who work in restaurants and serve you would live outside the area," she said.
Her husband Tom feels they're being bullied by the county, "If they take us to court what do you think is going to happen? We don't have any money, we're not going to hire a lawyer, so guess what's going to happen to us?" the Navy veteran who has multiple sclerosis said.
No court date has been set yet.
