If tiny house living in North Texas appeals to you, then you better put your name on a waiting list in Lake Dallas, a tiny Denton County suburb of around 8,000 residents. 

While big developments are going up throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, hometown developer Terry Lantrip is putting his money on the Lake Dallas Tiny House Village, which he touts as the first of its kind downtown community in the U.S.

Rendering courtesy of Lewis Gonzales

Four months ago, the Lake Dallas City Council approved the project, which could open in June. Though the first phase includes 13 lots ranging in size from 800 to 1,000 square feet, Lantrip already has around 70 people on a waiting list, according to Culture Map.

Lots come with water, sewer, and electric hookups and rent for $500 to $550 a month on a 12-month lease. In addition to storage buildings, a self-service laundry facility, and public lawn, village amenities include picnic areas, outdoor furniture, and a community garden. 

Village residents are responsible for purchasing their tiny homes and bringing them into the development on wheels. Like conventional single-family homes, the cost and size of tiny houses vary widely. While some cost less than $20,000, the median tiny home price is about $60,000, and sizes vary from 100 to 400 square feet. 

Phase two of the development will include renovating and transforming the property’s centerpiece — a historic home dating back more than a century — into a community center as well as building 14 bungalow units on adjoining land that will share the facility.

“Lake Dallas made a big step in being the first city to allow a tiny home community within the city limits,” Lantrip told Culture Map. “The Lake Dallas Tiny Home Village will bring quite a bit of visibility to the city and shows that we’re very open to development.” 

Despite the forward-thinking vision of city leaders, Lantrip’s longevity and credibility in Lake Dallas likely played a role in the council’s 4-1 vote to rezone his acre from single-family dwellings to a planned development that allowed a tiny house park.

Aside from living in Lake Dallas for 32 years, Lantrip owned and operated the city’s weekly newspaper for 20 years and has a track record for building several downtown mixed-use projects. 

Another factor on Lantrip’s side centered on the Lake Dallas City Council adopting the International Code Council’s model building code for tiny houses that’s included in the 2018 International Residential Code. The new city ordinance not only requires that all tiny houses in the village comply with the international construction code, it allows the city to regulate such variables as ceiling heights, emergency exits, and ladder safety for accessing a second-floor loft bed.

Located 30 miles from Downtown Dallas, Lake Dallas’ claim to fame — until now — has been its proximity to Lake Lewisville, but Lantrip is hoping that Lake Dallas Tiny House Village shows how the city is open to new ideas.

City manager John Cabrales Jr. also sees the urban advantage.

“We will have some more people living right in the downtown here,” Cabrales, Jr. told Next City. “Tiny house people tend to be well-educated, employed, with disposable income. They can help bolster downtown businesses.”