The great Australian dream of buying your own home is becoming way out of reach for many.
So for young people scrimping and saving for a deposit, living in a caravan out the back of mum and dad's house makes perfect sense.
But now government red tape is getting in the way yet again.
Three decades ago, during a 1990s housing crisis, the NSW government allowed people to live in caravans or moveable homes on private property, if the property was family's.
Now the government plans to change the legislation.
It will mean more red-tape and more money.
Student Eryn Norris borrowed money from her grandparents for a moveable home, which is in her mum's backyard on the Central Coast just north of Sydney.
"It's very expensive to try and go out and rent so this is the perfect place, when I can get full-time work, to save as much as I can and afford a house deposit in the future," Norris said.
"My dream is to eventually finish uni and to go work full-time somewhere I love and afford a house somewhere that I'd love to live."
Proposed changes would require anyone wanting to live in a caravan or a movable structure on private property to go through a council DA process.
Doing so could potentially add $25,000 to $30,000 to the cost and possible 12-month delays.
"It doesn't seem real fair. We're not doing anything that's trying to undercut the government or the councils or what not," Norris said.
"Just trying to make an affordable living, trying to have somewhere safe that's easy to live."
Mitch and his partner are also living in a movable home in his mum's backyard.
"It's a two bedroom, 40-something square metres place ... it's the size of a small apartment at half the cost," he said.
"We're doing everything we possible can. I work 50 hours a week, she works 40 hours a week, so what else can we possibly do, we're just saving as much as we can."
Vito Russo's company Vanhomes builds and sells between 40 and 50 moveable homes a month.
"We have models starting from about 18 square metres up to 59 square metres and the price ranges from $60,000 up to about $140,000," he said.
Russo employs 150 people on the Central Coast and is frustrated that a law brought in during a previous housing crisis would be changed now.
"Now our housing crisis is even worse, so the idea of changing that legislation when the situation's worse now than it was then is just ludacris," he said.
Planning Minister Paul Scully issued a statement to A Current Affair confirming the proposals would require council approval, a fee would be charged and it would take 30 to 60 days.
FULL PLANNING DEPARTMENT STATEMENT
No individual or family currently residing in a caravan will be impacted by the proposed reforms. They will not be applied retrospectively.
Last year, the NSW Government invited feedback over a nine-week public consultation process from community, local government and industry stakeholders on proposed reforms to moveable dwellings.
Nearly 400 submissions were received from community members, industry and local council.
Any changes considered by the Government would not be applied to any moveable dwelling that has already been installed under the current exemptions, or in accordance with a current council approval.
Where the installation of a moveable dwelling doesn't satisfy the proposed exemption criteria, the approval process would then fall under section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993.
A Development Application would not be required.
No decisions on the proposed changes have been made.
At this stage, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is simply considering public submissions.
Originally published as Aussies saving for a house deposit by living in movable homes hit roadblock