The Case for Multigenerational Housing
The Chicago Style Multi-Gen Idea Home is part of a growing trend to design and build new homes that enable multiple generations to live under one roof, whether it be in new-home communities or on infill lots within popular established neighborhoods.
Why? According to Pew Research analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, roughly 60 million Americans now live in households with three or more generations under one roof, about four times what it was in the 1970s.
Increasingly, and especially for new homes, that demand can be met by designing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) within the footprint of the home or the lot, as local zoning laws allow.
In fact, an increasing number of communities, municipalities, and even some states are amending their single-family zoning restrictions to allow greater housing density. That shift encourages the construction of more homes to enable affordability and more choice—including ADUs, which represent not just an option for multi-gen households, but also serve as long- and short-term or vacation rentals that generate additional revenue for mortgage payments and general maintenance.
With a 2,900-square-foot main home encompassing three levels—including full-height attic—plus an unfinished, 1,056-square foot basement and a full-equipped ADU over its detached garage—Chicago Style Multi-Gen Idea Home offers a wealth of opportunities to meet and adjust to lifestyle and household changes over time.
Imagine being able to easily welcome and comfortably accommodate an active grandparent, or enable a “bounce-back” child (or even his or her family) to return home without the burden of managing high housing costs on their own. Or the ability to supplement your income with a renter or vacationer in the ADU, run an in-home business, set up an art or recording studio, or a basement or attic man cave—the possibilities are almost endless.
This home offers all of that and more in the context of a familiar and comfortable exterior design that is tightly sited on its parcel and fits perfectly within an established suburban neighborhood—a true model for new housing.
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