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The multi-generational home makes a comeback
Jan. 20, 2011
By SYDNEY LONEY
Read More: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...ack/article1877264/singlepage/#articlecontent
Whether it’s boomerang children returning home or retirees angling for more face time with the grandkids, an increasing number of Canadians are choosing to reside in multigenerational family groups. And both builders and municipalities are taking note, with flexible housing options and a loosening of zoning restrictions. While multigenerational living is not unusual in many parts of the world, “the norm in Canada has historically been small nuclear households,†says Barbara Mitchell, professor of sociology and gerontology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. Now, however, “we’re seeing a rise in multigenerational families across cultural backgrounds,†she says, adding: “Immigration has shown us how other types of households can work.â€
- In 2006, about 515,000 grandparents shared a home with their grandchildren, according to Statistics Canada. That’s up from about 466,000 in 2001. As Ms. Mitchell notes, “people are living long enough that we’re seeing more four-generation households.†The economic downturn has been a factor, says Susan Newman, author of Under One Roof Again: All Grown Up and (Re)learning to Live Together Happily. “People are realizing that family members are the first line of support when someone needs help.†But the changes are also societal. “In the past, you raised children so you could send them out on their own. Now, families are discovering a comfort zone that comes from living together and getting to know one another as people.â€
- And what often begins as a short-term stay evolves into a long-term living arrangement. Many families find the pros of shared accommodation (reduced expenses, close proximity to aging family members and built-in babysitting) outweigh the cons (occasional friction and finding oneself in a queue for the bathroom). “The main drawbacks for us have been finding space for entertaining and keeping everyone on the same page when it comes to disciplining Oliver,†Ms. Metropolis says.
- Because multigenerational living is bound to become more common as the population ages, builders are designing housing to be a better fit for extended families, says M. J. Whitemarsh, chief executive officer for the Canadian Home Builders' Association of British Columbia. Cities, too, are changing zoning regulations to accommodate more flexible housing such as secondary suites, laneway houses and buildings containing two homes in one. Metric Homes in Ottawa began offering families a home-within-a-home option three years ago, thanks to new zoning bylaws. From the street, the dwellings look like single-family homes, but behind the exterior walls are two buildings: a two-storey house with a bungalow attached.
- In Vancouver, builders have gone a step further, thanks to bylaws introduced last summer that approved construction of laneway homes. “Laneway homes are often used for extended family,†says Byron Wiebe, owner of Laneside Home Design in Vancouver. “About a third of my clients intend to either house their parents or children in a laneway house.†Cecile Larsson, 67, is currently bunking in with her daughter and granddaughters while she awaits completion of her new home, 16 feet away in her daughter’s laneway. They will still be close, but not too close, saysdaughter Colette Larsson.
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Jan. 20, 2011
By SYDNEY LONEY
Read More: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...ack/article1877264/singlepage/#articlecontent
Whether it’s boomerang children returning home or retirees angling for more face time with the grandkids, an increasing number of Canadians are choosing to reside in multigenerational family groups. And both builders and municipalities are taking note, with flexible housing options and a loosening of zoning restrictions. While multigenerational living is not unusual in many parts of the world, “the norm in Canada has historically been small nuclear households,†says Barbara Mitchell, professor of sociology and gerontology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. Now, however, “we’re seeing a rise in multigenerational families across cultural backgrounds,†she says, adding: “Immigration has shown us how other types of households can work.â€
- In 2006, about 515,000 grandparents shared a home with their grandchildren, according to Statistics Canada. That’s up from about 466,000 in 2001. As Ms. Mitchell notes, “people are living long enough that we’re seeing more four-generation households.†The economic downturn has been a factor, says Susan Newman, author of Under One Roof Again: All Grown Up and (Re)learning to Live Together Happily. “People are realizing that family members are the first line of support when someone needs help.†But the changes are also societal. “In the past, you raised children so you could send them out on their own. Now, families are discovering a comfort zone that comes from living together and getting to know one another as people.â€
- And what often begins as a short-term stay evolves into a long-term living arrangement. Many families find the pros of shared accommodation (reduced expenses, close proximity to aging family members and built-in babysitting) outweigh the cons (occasional friction and finding oneself in a queue for the bathroom). “The main drawbacks for us have been finding space for entertaining and keeping everyone on the same page when it comes to disciplining Oliver,†Ms. Metropolis says.
- Because multigenerational living is bound to become more common as the population ages, builders are designing housing to be a better fit for extended families, says M. J. Whitemarsh, chief executive officer for the Canadian Home Builders' Association of British Columbia. Cities, too, are changing zoning regulations to accommodate more flexible housing such as secondary suites, laneway houses and buildings containing two homes in one. Metric Homes in Ottawa began offering families a home-within-a-home option three years ago, thanks to new zoning bylaws. From the street, the dwellings look like single-family homes, but behind the exterior walls are two buildings: a two-storey house with a bungalow attached.
- In Vancouver, builders have gone a step further, thanks to bylaws introduced last summer that approved construction of laneway homes. “Laneway homes are often used for extended family,†says Byron Wiebe, owner of Laneside Home Design in Vancouver. “About a third of my clients intend to either house their parents or children in a laneway house.†Cecile Larsson, 67, is currently bunking in with her daughter and granddaughters while she awaits completion of her new home, 16 feet away in her daughter’s laneway. They will still be close, but not too close, saysdaughter Colette Larsson.
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