Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- A Utah family is building an ADU to address housing costs and stay together.
- KoShell Burnham will move into an ADU on her son's property.
- New Utah law facilitates ADUs, aiding affordable housing solutions for families.
CLINTON — In Clinton, one family found a solution to a problem many Utah families are facing: helping the next generation find a home without losing each other in the process.
KoShell Burnham has spent years collecting a lifetime of belongings. Now, she's ready to simplify.
"I just want to live simple and enjoy," Burnham said.
The timing was perfect.
Her son, Luke Miller, and his family had recently moved back to Utah from Massachusetts and were struggling to find an affordable home of their own.
"The housing market in Utah is just crazy," Burnham said. "There's no way for any young family that hasn't got any equity to put down on a house to be able to afford payments on a house."
After feeling the pressure of Utah's housing market firsthand, the family came up with a different plan.
"We can kind of split the property that's here and kind of share the costs," he said.
That plan involves building an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, on the family's property. Once construction is complete, Burnham will move into the new home while Miller, his wife and their two daughters move into the existing house.
She's hoping to move in by September.
"I think it's just a win-win for both families," Burnham said. "It's going to save, because Miller's paying almost $2,000 a month for his rent."
The home is designed specifically for her needs: a living room, a bedroom and everything on one level. Nothing more than she needs.
Miller is serving as the contractor on the project.
"When they got the floor done, I thought, 'Oh, I should have a dance. Let's have everybody come over and dance on this floor,'" Burnham said.
Getting started wasn't as simple as breaking ground.
The family first had to make sure the project complied with Clinton's zoning requirements, including setback rules that dictate how far a structure must be from property lines and other buildings.
"We eventually wanted to make it more square, but based on the setbacks at the city, you had to have 10 feet from the house and 10 feet from the sides and things like that," Burnham said.
Financing has also created challenges.
"We're not sure how it will appraise," Burnham said, noting that many lenders do not treat the two homes as separate properties.
A new Utah law is making projects like this easier.
SB284 requires cities to allow ADUs on larger residential lots. Housing advocates say changes in local land-use policies are creating more options for families looking for affordable housing solutions.
"ADUs like this are the result of local land-use policy being changed," said Turner Bitton, executive director of Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities. "Cities like Clinton are really leading the way in creating options like this."
Bitton said the demand for ADUs is likely to increase as Utah's population ages.
"Right now, Utah's one of the youngest states in the country, but in 30 years, we're facing what we all colloquially call the silver tsunami, where we're going to have an aging population," Bitton said.
For homeowners interested in building an ADU, Bitton recommends first checking local regulations.
"What I would encourage folks to do is look at whether their local municipality allows ADUs, and if they do, to reach out to organizations like the Community Development Corporation of Utah," he said.
For Burnham, the project was never just about downsizing.
Asked what she hopes life looks like a year after moving in, her answer was simple.
"I will just love when my granddaughters want to walk over and, 'Grandma,' and walk over and visit with me," she said. "That's the best thing in the world."
Residents interested in building an ADU should start with their city's planning department. AARP also offers resources about ADUs, including different types and how they can work for families.
