Santa Cruz, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing

Description: An increasing number of older adults are at risk of losing their homes. Common reasons include rising housing costs or homes that are unsuitable for aging in place. According to David Foster, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay, 300 families in the high-cost Santa Cruz area are income-burdened. To address this, Habitat for Humanity's My House My Home program builds aging-friendly accessory dwelling units. This project involved building an ADU attachment onto an older couple's home. That allowed the couple to rent out the unit, providing them with rental income that allowed them to remain in their home of 50 years. Grant funding also supported accessibility to the main house, including a new walkway and ramp, as well as low-water landscaping. They have the option to move into the ADU - which also includes accessibility features - if they choose to downsize in the future.

Salinas, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing

Description: California's housing shortage has spurred the state to adopt legislation to encourage the creation of accessory dwelling units, with many local governments embracing the small housing type. The City of Salinas created bilingual educational materials and hosted virtual and in-person workshops on regulations, permitting requirements and benefits of ADUs. The City tailored each workshop to either contractors and builders or consumers, with child care and Spanish translation available for attendees. Afterwards, the City posted the materials and workshop videos on the city's website.