Once upon a time, Grandma could expect to move into the spare bedroom and help out with the kids. After World War II, that model changed as young people moved closer to the city and embraced the new American dream – a house in the suburbs that had no room for aging parents. Now multigenerational living is making a comeback. According to a Pew Research Center report, U.S. Census data recorded 51.4 million Americans, or 16.7 percent of the population, living in mutigenerational households in 2009, up 10.5 percent from just two years earlier. Homebuilders are finding that demand for housing that accommodates several generations under one roof is still on the rise, not only among immigrant groups for whom multigenerational living is culturally expected, but across all demographics and regions. Lennar rolled out its line of The Home Within a Home at the beginning of 2012, says Jeff Roos, Western regional president. The Home Within a Home doesn’t add significantly to the total square footage, Roos says. “It’s designed with a separate apartment within the confines of a family home. It provides a separate living space that allows more than one generation to live independently, but together. I think it’s the greatest advance since indoor plumbing. It’s a real game changer.” [Read this article]
Menu
