A woman sued Meridian to live in her tiny home on wheels. A judge just decided the case
Updated at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, to add mayor’s comment.
A woman sued the city of Meridian over its ban on tiny homes on wheels after she was evicted from her tiny home two years ago. On Tuesday, a judge in Boise ruled against her, according to the law firm that represented her.
Chasidy Decker had bought the home on wheels and parked it next to a single-family home owned by Robert Calacal, who agreed to rent part of his property to Decker. Shortly after, Meridian Code Enforcement Officer Anthony Negrete informed Decker that living in homes on wheels is against city law, the Statesman previously reported.
The Institute for Justice learned about Decker’s impending eviction through the Idaho Statesman’s story and took on Decker’s case.The nonprofit law firm in Washington, D.C., says its goal is to end abuses of government power and secure people’s constitutional rights.
In a press release, the Institute for Justice said:
State District Judge Jason Scott in Boise ruled against Decker, saying that she and Calacal did not meet Meridian’s unified ownership requirement, which would require the owner of the house to also own the secondary unit on the property.
“I’m devastated that, after waiting two years, I won’t be able to move back into my tiny home on Robert’s property anytime soon,” Decker said in the release. “This is terrible news for tiny-home owners and others like me who need more affordable housing alternatives in Idaho.”
The court also rejected Decker and Calacal’s claims of unequal enforcement and free-speech retaliation, which argued that Negrete had retaliated against them after reading the Statesman’s story.
Decker and Calacal’s attorney, Bob Belden, said the city’s unified ownership requirement is “irrational.” Belden, Decker and Calacal plan to seek further review of today’s court ruling to “help protect the property rights of Chasidy and Robert and other Idahoans who wish to make productive use of their residential property to provide more housing.”
Belden told the Statesman by phone that they have yet to decide how to proceed and will consider all options, but an “appeal is definitely on the table.”
Mayor comments
Meridian Mayor Robert Simison said Wednesday by email: “We are pleased with the court’s decision upholding Meridian’s administration of its land use codes. This reaffirms that cities have the right to adopt and enforce reasonable zoning and land-use policies to serve as a framework within their communities.”
This story was originally published July 23, 2024 at 5:33 PM.
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