YOUR FUNDS
3 creative housing choices with all the comforts of home
REBECCA WARREN is a certified financial planner and certified senior adviser in Mesa. She can be reached at (480) 357-8380 or by e-mail at rebecca@warrenfinancialservices.com.
Are you a senior citizen looking for a creative, affordable housing option that has all the comforts of home? If so, check out these three alternatives: accessory units, shared housing and co-housing. Because they offer companionship and affordability in community settings, all three are gaining popularity. Accessory dwelling units are separate, small homes built on or moved to the property connected to a single-family house. They are known by different names including granny flats, carriage houses and ECHO housing. Whatever their nomenclature, ADUs can be a great option for seniors who want to be near family members and independent. They also provide privacy for all occupants. Some ADUs are temporary and can be removed when no longer needed. Some are purchased, some are rented. Attached units, contained within a single-family house, are also common. Some local areas are relaxing zoning codes to allow ADUs. For example, Santa Cruz, Calif., has implemented a series of permitting and zoning changes meant to encourage their construction. The city has information about ADUs, including a book of architects’ plans for ADUs — for a fee — at www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us. Click on “Accessory Dwelling Units” under “Programs and Services” in the right-hand menu of links. Home sharing may be an option if you are tired of living alone. Shared housing may also be an option for you. Living with others can provide companionship, affordability and security. You could share your home with another senior, a caregiver, a family member or a friend. Alternatively, you might want to consider moving into another’s home. Here is a resource for finding a compatible person to share housing with you: www.nationalsharedhousing.org/index.html. Co-housing is a new and innovative type of housing offers residents an old-fashioned sense of neighborhood. Co-housing communities are designed and managed by their residents. A typical community has 20 to 30 single-family houses along a street or clustered around a courtyard. One of the major characteristics of this type of housing is that residents own their private homes and also share common buildings with other residents. Virtually all co-housing communities have a “common house,” which is the hub of activity. A distinct advantage of cohousing communities is that they tend to be secure. Co-housing expert Chuck Durrett said, “Alarms systems notwithstanding, nothing creates security like a community.” The cost of living in co-housing is less than in a typical singlefamily home because neighbors share resources and expenses. These include community meals averaging $5 or less per homecooked meal, significantly reduced heating bills due to energy-efficient design and building techniques, and communityowned maintenance equipment. To learn more about co-housing, contact the Cohousing Association of the United States, 1750 30th St., Suite 617, Boulder, CO 80301-1036, (314) 754-5828 (voice mail) or www.cohousing.org.
