TULSA COUNTY — Terry Crow dreams of an affordable little home to call his own.
He used his savings to buy a tiny piece of property in a quiet Tulsa County neighborhood and install a power pole and breaker box. The property had a foundation an old house. Crow plans to use that to one day build a permanent home when he saves up enough money.
In the meantime, he pulled an old camper onto the lot and planned to live in it as his affordable housing solution until he could afford to build.
He ran into a snag when he tried to get electricity hooked up to the pole and run to the RV to power heat, air conditioning, hot water heater, and stove. The county denied the permit because the property is zoned residential, which means power only be run to permanent structures.
WATCH: Crow called the Problem Solvers in June with the issue:
He wanted to know if he could get power without a permanent structrure.
2 News checked with INCOG's Planning Office. They said Crow needed to apply to go before the County Board of Adjustment to ask for a variance. He needed an $816 fee. The fee covers things like mapping the property and making notification to neighbors that a variance is being sought.
Once our story aired, "Someone generously stepped up and decided to donate the fee for him," said Jay Hoyt, with INCOG's Planning Office.
When Crow heard about the gesture his eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. He thanks everyone who helped with or encouraged the pursuit of his dream.
WATCH: OKLAHOMA STANDARD: Viewer helps Tulsa County man's journey to housing
Fee paid, Crow went before the board on July 16th and showed a blue print of the home he hopes to one day build.
The board denied his request. Why?
- He does not have a specific timeline for building
- One property owner objected to allowing someone to live in an RV in the neighborhood
"They weren't comfortable leaving an open-ended date for approval of an RV staying there," said Jay Hoyt with INCOG's Planning Office. "So, in the end, they turned him down."
According to Hoyt, a variance for running electricity to an RV on property zoned as residential is normally only granted during the actual construction time of the person's home on the same site.
Crow told 2 News this is a setback, not the end of his dream.
"I'm going to look at some tiny homes," he said. "It's a permanent structure, and if I can afford it, it will be sitting on this foundation."
He knows that structure will also require permits, but he is willing to seek them if it means making his dream of affordable housing on his little piece of property come true.
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
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