Joseph Aguglia Tiny House Champion In Ross Township, PA.

Jospeph Aguglia for Ross Township Commissioner, Ward 2 Joseph Aguglia

Joseph Aguglia is sounding the alarm in Ross Township, PA. regarding the government overreach of potentially regulating single family homes to have a threshold requirement of 1,500 square feet for new and modified homes. It looks like an attempt to keep tiny houses out of the city. Joseph is a champion for tiny houses and we are blessed to have him standing up for housing and the rights of an individual to chose their housing based on their own need.

Joseph is running for Ross Township Commissioner, Ward 2 . Vote For Him On November 4, 2025. Learn More.

Joseph's Mission

1) Ross Township, Allegheny County, and the North Hills School District all increased property taxes exponentially. For people of limited income, the goal of lasting home ownership appears to be a fantasy. I am strongly against a further tax increase on the citizens of Ross Township.

(2) I am strongly for competitive bidding in regard to our waste hauling contract.

(3) I will protect and preserve all public parks, including Sammartino, Tyler, and Short Line Hollow. I am deeply troubled by the direction to which Ross Township has taken with Short Line Hollow, as the park should be reopened.

Regardless of party affiliation, I am here to represent the interests of all citizens of Ross Township Ward 2

Photo Courtesy: Utopian Villas: The Homestead

Joseph's View On The Ordinance

”It is my belief that this proposed Ordinance is in direct contravention with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Federal Fair Housing Act. My reasoning is that if a person with a disability wishes to construct a wheelchair accessible ramp, such modification would require the person to modify their home to exceed the 1,500 threshold, all the while the person is only building a wheelchair accessible ramp.

Additionally, for example, a person with a disability has an unequivocal right to raise a family, and can do so in a ranch style one floor home, suited to their needs. Restricting people with disabilities to only be able to purchase homes in excess of 1,500 square feet is in direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

”In view of the fact that the Township as a governmental entity wishes to regulate families by controlling the size of the home that a single family can purchase, this Ordinance also runs afoul of the Federal Fair Housing Act’s prohibition on housing laws restricting access to housing on the basis of familial status.

Finally, government’s first responsibility is to protect the people, not to interfere with their daily lives and restrict what homes they can and cannot purchase.

” We have two people that have been Commissioners for over 20 years collectively, it’s time for bold, fresh ideas and a renewed action for term limits. The wheel has turned and it’s time, it’s time for them to be voted out of office.

Vote for me for less government regulating what you do, your home, and even where you raise your children. Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem.

Vote for me on November 4th ”

Deceiving Video: These Units Are Not Tiny Houses

These houses are not tiny houses, they are Pallet Shelters for temporary housing for those that are transitioning to permanent housing to keep the homeless off the streets and out of tents. The individuals get access to meals, hygiene, safety, and a case worker.

Ross Township Considers Size Limits For Tiny homes; Resident Feedback Sought

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA. -The topic of so-called tiny homes has been discussed in areas in our region before, and it’s now up for discussion in Ross Township. The township is trying to get ahead with a proposed ordinance.

“We’re introducing an ordinance for discussion because it has been brought up to us as far as these inquiries, so we wanted to get ahead and be transparent. So by introducing this, we’re also allowing to have a discussion to come up with what do we want,” said Denise Rickenbrode, a Ross Township Commissioner for Ward 8.

Article WTAE

Concern About Tiny Houses Has Ross Considering Setting Minimum Home Size

Concern about tiny houses lowering the value of neighboring homes has Ross commissioners considering setting a minimum size for single-family homes in the township.

As proposed, all single-family dwellings, whether constructed or altered, would have to be at least 1,500 square feet.

But when introduced at a commissioners meeting Monday, Aug. 4, Commissioner Chris Eyster said he believes the requirement would be unconstitutional.

Establishing a minimum size, he said, is “arbitrary and capricious” and infringes on people’s rights to freely use and enjoy their land. The proposed ordinance also does not state a governmental interest or how it relates to one, he said.

Commissioner Joseph Muha raised concern about what “alteration” meant, such as if remodeling a kitchen would trigger the requirement. He said he counted 66 homes in his own neighborhood under 1,500 square feet — the smallest at 790 square feet.

“These homes already exist all over the township,” he said.

Resident Joe Aguglia said the size requirement could run afoul of the federal Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Dominic Rickert, community development director for Ross, said the proposed ordinance came from a discussion at a commissioners’ committee meeting about tiny homes, which included talk about establishing a minimum size so they would not affect property values.

Setting a minimum size would be a hedge against tiny houses driving down the value of current residents’ properties, said Commissioner Denise Rickenbrode, who chairs the planning, zoning and economic development committee, which includes Eyster and Commissioner Sarah Poweska.

All existing homes would be grandfathered.

Ross drafted a simple proposal after reviewing such ordinances from other municipalities that are more complicated, Rickenbrode said.

Rickenbrode said Rickert “was getting some questions about if Ross Township allows tiny houses. We thought it would be best to address it,” she said. “The whole idea behind it is to maintain the character of the township and the aesthetics of the neighborhoods.”

Rickenbrode said she is not aware of any tiny houses currently in Ross. She said some of the existing small homes in the township had once been cabins for trolley workers.

Ross commissioners next meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 18.

Article North Hills Journal

Famous Steward/Schalg Log House In Ross Township

Historical first ‘tiny house’ measuring 12 X 15 feet Preserved By The Ross Historical Society

If you research the reasons why Ross Township wants to create a 1500 square feet threshold, they say it is because they want to preserve the character of the township. This contradicts that the Ross Historical Society has restored the famous Steward/Schalg Log House which is indeed a tiny house.

Larger Size Homes Were Called Mansions

It isn’t as famous as Honest Abe’s log cabin — or as trendy as the “tiny house” craze currently sweeping the nation — but the Steward/Schalg log house in Ross Township gives history buffs a chance to look at how residents lived at the turn of the 19th century.

The house — which measures 12 feet by 15 feet — was built by the Stewart family around the year 1800 and housed the family until 1834, when they built a larger dwelling known as “the mansion house,” according to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

The mansion was torn down in 2002, but the original house was salvaged in part of a community effort spearheaded by the Ross Township Historical Society.

In 2002, the house was moved from its original location on the Stewart/Schlag family farm near Sangria Road to its current location at Evergreen Community Park. Maintenance for the house is overseen by the Ross Township Historical Society.

The house is now open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of every month through October.

Article

Unfounded Fears Of Bringing The Property Values Down

There are unfounded fears that tiny houses will bring the value of existing houses down and the opposite is true.

When valuing a property, appraisers rely heavily on comparable properties and comparable sales. Larger homes are compared to other similarly sized properties to maintain consistency in appraisal values. Factors such as room count, floor plans, and lot size are used to identify suitable comparisons.

For example, a 2,500-square-foot home is typically estimated based on sales prices of other homes with similar sizes and features in the same area. These comparable homes set the benchmark for determining the appraised value. Tiny houses should be allowed as single family dwellings, in cottage developments, and as an accessory dwelling units (ADU).

Should I Add an ADU to My Home?

According to Freddie Mac- Adding an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, to your property can increase the value of your home, become a source of rental income, or help you expand your living space to make room for your adult children or parents. Find out what an ADU is, the benefits of an ADU and options to help you finance the addition.

Learn More

Photo Courtesy: Utopian Villas

Ross Township Already Allows Accessory Dwelling Units, This Could Be One Great Solution For The City To Increase The Housing Inventory. Ordinance # 2379 Allows No More Than Two With A Total Combined Area Of 720 Square Feet.

Whether your borrowers refer to them as guest houses, in-law quarters, casitas or tiny homes,
accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are in demand and can solve for many modern housing concerns.

adu-fact-sheet

Ross Township should pay attention to the great victory for tiny houses tin Calhoun, Georgia that after a 4 year battle in the courts, lifted an unfair ban on tiny houses through the help of Institute For Justice. The city created an unfair threshold of 1150 square feet to keep tiny houses from being developed for the workers of the city who cannot afford housing. Learn More.

The institute For Justice is suing cities for not allowing tiny houses. We would hate to see this become another lawsuit. Hopefully it will not have to with Joseph in our corner.