Pine Islander dreams big with a tiny house
When JoAnn Botta decided to build a house in 2013 she was thinking small. “I had 400 square feet in mind and even when the architect gently suggested something slightly bigger, I rejected the idea,” Botta said. “I calculated what I needed and no more.”
After building her first tiny house, Botta expanded her ideas to duplex rental units.
“I think they’re ideal for a single person or even a couple,” Botta said.
Botta was born and raised in Irvington, New Jersey.
“My parents had hoped I would attend Cooper Union but I attended Pratt studying and getting my degree in advertising and design. That’s when I met and married my husband Vince. That’s how I discovered Florida when we came to Miami Beach for the first time in 1966.”
After two more trips to Florida, Botta decided this would be a great place to stay.
“When I came back in 2009 the market was depressed and I had a small inheritance so I purchased real estate in the Cape,” Botta said. “A friend suggested Pine Island and I bought some land here.
“I’ve been studying small houses for a long time,” Botta said. “There was a book called the ‘Not So Big House’ in the 1990s and that gave me the idea to build my first small house on Pine Island. I think there’s a market for them and this gives me something to do. I’d like to leave a few of these sweet little houses on Pine Island.
“I think this tiny house idea is almost ingrained in me,” Botta said. “I slept on a fold-out sofa in a small apartment. My father had a small sailboat with a tiny stove and tiny areas. So this whole small space concept is ingrained in me. Like the bumper sticker says ‘RRR’ Reduce, Renew and Recycle.”
Botta built her first tiny house in 2013 – a 400-square-foot house she shares with her husband Vince and four cats.
“We don’t need a lot of space,” Botta said.
Driving down Thomas Street, Botta observed the cinder block houses.
“I don’t like cement or cinder block, I like wood and that’s what I wanted for the twins,” Botta said. “That’s what I call the duplex, my twins.”
As the owner-builder Botta purchased the plans for the duplex online.
“My plan is to live in one unit while having my expenses paid with the rent from the second unit,” Botta said. “The rent will be very competitive because the unit is only 400 square feet – very economical. I expect my expenses for air conditioning, gas and water to be under $100 a month. This way I can live here free.”
Each of the two units is a single room with a separate shower, toilet, sink and washer and dryer. There is also a small loft area for storage.
“I’m convinced duplex living is the solution to the housing problems we have today and a wonderful solution for tiny Pine Island,” Botta said. “These small houses follow in the tradition of Pine Island’s fishing houses in Matlacha. This is one small thing that I can do for the ecology and for Pine Island. In the future I’d like to populate the island with more of these tiny houses. This is an opportunity for me to walk the walk and talk the talk.”