ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Troy Hokanson used to have to drive 11 miles to check on his mother, but she’s now just a door-knock away.
Hokanson, his wife and their three children moved into a new house in Lakeville last month that includes a separate apartment for his mother.
Homes with “granny flats” are a new trend, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Monday (https://bit.ly/1dgfKX8 ). They’re not considered duplexes because the apartments aren’t designed for renters. But they’re popular with those who want to live near a loved one - without living with them.
Units going up in some Minnesota communities were designed by national builder Lennar Homes under the brand name “NextGen” homes. The company has sold about 600 nationwide, said Lennar’s Minnesota marketing manager, Tim Fohr.
NextGen homes are taking advantage of demographic trends, he said, including that “people are bunking up.”
U.S. Census Bureau data show that about 17 percent of Americans - about 51 million - lived in multi-generational homes as of 2009, up from 14 percent in 1990. That’s because people are living longer. Because of rising health care costs, the appeal of saving money by living with children is increasing.
Apartments in NextGen homes have separate exterior entrances and their own single-car garage. They usually have interior doors connected with the main home. They are typically 600 square feet and include a single bedroom and a kitchenette.
The Hokansons say living together has simplified their lives. Troy Hokanson’s mother, Karen Hokanson, 72, can take the children on errands and to day care.
She’s in good health now, but said that as she ages, she will be glad to be close to her family. She takes care of her privacy needs by opening or closing her door.
“I leave the door open when the 4-year-old wants me to come and play,” she said. “And if the kids start to bother me, I have my own area to come in and be away from it.”
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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, https://www.twincities.com
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