‘How am I supposed to build my tiny home?’ pleads woman as she’s ordered to leave property judge called ‘grave threat’

A MASSACHUSETTS woman is begging the court to allow her to build and live in a tiny home on her property — but they say it is “uninhabitable.”

Tiny homes have exploded in popularity in recent years, but finding the right location to set up small structures can be harder than some people realize.

Sometimes, local laws can prevent property owners from building tiny homes on their own property — just ask Jennifer Pilbin.

She would like to build a tiny home on her land, but may not be able to thanks to a long-running fight with city officials.

Pilbin has been living with her mother in a trailer on her Sandisfield property since they purchased the plot of land in 2019, according to The Berkshire Eagle.

But neighbors began complaining about the way that Piblin and her mother lived shortly after they moved in.

LIVING OFF THE GRID

Witnesses and eventually local officials reported that the pair were living without a stable electricity set-up, running water, or a proper septic system.

Pilbin set up generators to provide energy and brought in water for drinking and cooking, she told officials.

They used a self-composting toilet, often used by campers, and buried waste in small holes around the property.

The duo also kept several animals on the property, namely chickens and ducks, whose wellbeing was also a concern for neighbors.

Pilbin originally claimed that she and her mother were actually living at her nearby uncle’s house and only using the property as a secondary home.

The Sandisfield Town Counsel issued several warnings to Pilbin and her mother, and eventually won a ruling in court on January 2 stating that the mother and daughter were in fact living on the property and that it was “uninhabitable.”

Pilbin eventually named the Sandisfield property as her main residence in a bankruptcy filing last fall, protecting it from being auctioned with the rest of her property this year.

BANNED FROM HER OWN LAND

City officials have asked the court to completely ban Pilbin and her mother from entering the land or risk jail time to prevent them from continuing to live on the property, which officials say still shows signs of regular inhabitation.

Pilbin has petitioned the court to allow her to enter the property to complete various tasks, including taking care of her animals and garden.

In response, the judge said that Pilbin has not gained the trust of the court yet and may be allowed more visitation rights in the future when the pair is no longer living on the property.

It is unclear if Sandisfield Town Counsel has offered to help Pilbin and her mother find more suitable housing.

Pilbin has since asked the court to allow her to visit the property to move ahead with her plans to build a tiny home with the help of a local contractor.

TINY HOME TROUBLES

She needs to be able to oversee the work and keep up maintenance on the property as it’s developed, she said.

“How am I supposed to build my house?” Pilbin asked the judge.

The judge decided last week to allow Pilbin to enter the property during set hours if she makes appointments with contractors and lets local officials know.

“My concern is that you not use the property as a place for habitation,” the judge told Pilbin.

“If you comply with my order, then you have the ability to have access to the property,” he said.

Pilbin has also been ordered to allow inspectors to enter every structure on the property — temporary or permanent – to be able to accurately assess the habitability of the land.

“I’m just in the process of getting the house all set,” Pilbin told local reporters after the recent ruling.

Whether Pilbin will be able to receive the necessary permits to complete her tiny home is also unknown.