An Illinois man has been forced out of the two off-grid tiny homes he built on his own land after a judge ruled that he cannot sleep there while an ongoing fight with the city of Springfield continues.
What happened?
According to the Illinois Times, 31-year-old Colton Lexus — born Chase Hadez — was denied the ability to live in the tiny homes after Judge Robin Schmidt of Sangamon County's Seventh Circuit Court ruled in favor of the city of Springfield. The order will remain in effect ahead of an Aug. 3 hearing.
At the center of the dispute are Lexus' two "pods," measuring 18 square feet and 32 square feet, which the city said do not count as lawful dwelling units under local zoning rules.
According to the outlet, Lexus, who represented himself during the nearly four-hour hearing, has significant objections to the ruling.
"I presented a lot of evidence to show, and I still believe that the city did not meet their burden of proof," Lexus said.
Why does it matter?
The case highlights a growing tension in communities across the country: People looking for lower-cost, lower-energy housing options can still run into local building, sanitation, and zoning requirements.
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Tiny homes and off-grid setups can appeal to people trying to lower rent, utility use, and overall housing costs. In the fight with Springfield, Lexus argued that his own utilities in the form of solar power, batteries, and water filtration should give him the right to live in the structures.
Springfield, however, said those alternatives do not resolve the legal issues. The city argued the structures lack required sanitary services and also fail to meet its definition of a legal dwelling unit, the kind of standards local governments often defend on health and safety grounds.
What's being done?
Despite the ruling, Lexus is continuing the fight. On July 23, he filed a motion for an emergency stay of the order, according to Illinois Times, seeking relief from the court order while the legal battle continues.
He has also indicated that he wants to keep challenging the city's position and secure legal representation.
Attorney Tom Pavlik of Delano Law told Illinois Times that preliminary injunctions often shape how these disputes ultimately end, saying, "The injunction is a good predictor of where the court will ultimately land — which is why most people in his position just give up."
Lexus made clear that he does not plan to walk away and has started a GoFundMe to aid with unexpected costs following the eviction.
"I'm being put out on the street after owning and purchasing this property outright, even though I have my own utilities," he said.
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