In 2021, Carol made the decision to sell her family home and transitioned to a shared housing arrangement with a friend. However, as her friend's health declined, Carol found herself in need of a new housing solution. This proved to be a challenging task, especially considering Carol's extended family, which includes her faithful dog, Panache, along with two macaws (Tapestry and Hearsay), a cockatoo named Lightning, and an African grey parrot named Irony. Fortunately, Carol has the support of her wonderful son, Brandon, who resides in Castro Valley with his wife and two adorable children.
Facing the challenge head-on, Brandon discovered Alameda County’s new HelloADU Technical Assistance program, administered by Hello Housing. Eager to find a solution, he secured a $125,000 line of credit on his home and worked with Hello Housing to obtain a $40,000 state grant. Combining these resources with the profits from his mother's home sale, they had the budget needed to construct a beautiful 513-square-foot, 1-bedroom, 1-bath Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) equipped with a washer/dryer and attic for additional storage.
Beyond the ADU, the project included various initiatives to optimize the property for the entire family. Hello Housing assembled a motivated project team that crafted a high-performance home with solar power on a well-draining lot. The result provides ample space for everyone to enjoy both privacy and shared activities, creating an environment where Brandon can occasionally work from home and the family can come together under the stars or engage in playful moments with the kids.
Family supporting family is one of the stories we see the most here at HelloADU as California transitions back to multi-generational living.
