Hartford Business Journal

12 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 7, 2025 (From left) Bob Small, director of construction services at Norwalk-based Contemporary Tiny Homes, with Breno Neri, president and co-founder of the newly formed business, outside a Bristol home where they are building an accessory dwelling unit. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Filling A Need Norwalk-based entrepreneur says he can help solve the housing crisis — by building tiny homes want a guest house for visitors. Other homeowners are pursuing income-producing rental units. For example, a homeowner could rent out a second home on their property to generate rental income to save for their retirement. Older homeowners who want to downsize might build an ADU in which they would live, and then rent out the main house on their property. "I think that could be really helpful for elderly folks who have potentially not saved enough," Neri said. Contemporary Tiny Homes has about eight employees, including sales and marketing teams, which are based out of a Norwalk office complex. The director of construction services, Bob Small, has more than 40 years of experience building homes in Connecticut. He oversees teams of contractors, many of whom he has worked with for more than a decade. Neri said the business is poised for growth. "We're starting to operate now in the eastern side of Connecticut, and we hope to be operating in southern Massachusetts as well," he said. Neri, who is from Brazil, started a broadband business in his home country, which he sold to a larger company before moving to the United States to study at New York University, where he received a Ph.D. in economics. After graduate school, he worked for several corporations, where he focused on launching new products and services. Zoning hurdles Many progressive towns are trying to promote ADU development as a sustainable housing option, a trend that aligns with broader efforts in the state to increase housing density. In 2021, the state passed a law that requires municipalities to allow ADUs as a "matter of right" on single-family residential lots, meaning approval does not require a public hearing or special permit. However, many towns opted out of that law and created their own zoning regulations for accessory dwelling units. Some municipalities — Danbury, West Haven, Meriden, Waterbury and Norwich — have outright banned them. Many more municipalities allow them under certain restrictions. For example, Norwalk, which opted out of the 2021 law, allows detached ADUs up to 700 square feet and attached ADUs up to 1,000 square feet. The city has shown flexibility by waiving certain parking requirements for accessory dwelling units. Misperceptions surrounding accessory dwelling units persist in many communities, though progress has been made, said Pete Harrison, Connecticut director for the Regional Plan Association, who works with the zoning reform group DesegregateCT. By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A s Connecticut faces a housing crunch that's driven prices so high that many potential homebuyers have been priced out of the market, Breno Neri has started a business in Norwalk that offers a solution. "There is strong demand. There is a housing crisis. And I think I can help," Neri said in a recent interview with the Hartford Business Journal. In late 2024, Neri started the company, Contemporary Tiny Homes, which specializes in building stylish accessory dwelling units (ADUs) from scratch — and in an affordable price range. In March, Contemporary Tiny Homes broke ground on its first two projects: a fully custom-designed attached ADU in Bristol, and a detached accessory dwelling unit in Guilford. Neri, who is president of the company, co-founded Contempo- rary Tiny Homes with his husband, Andrew Singer, who works in finance in New York City. They live in Darien and have four children. The company is a one-stop shop for homeowners interested in building an attached or standalone living space on their single-family home property. Staff work with customers to plan, design and execute their ADU project. Contemporary Tiny Homes offers different levels of customi- zation based on customers' needs and preferences. The start-to-finish service includes helping clients understand ADU zoning regulations in their home- town, which can range from friendly to hostile. "After the sale is concluded, we work with the homeowner to obtain the permits on their behalf," Neri said. "And once the permit is approved, we do the whole project, from exca- vation, putting down the foundation, building the home, including all the mechanicals … all the kitchen fixtures and lighting features, even your finishes." A one-bedroom ADU ranges from $149,000 to $219,000, and a two-bed- room accessory dwelling unit starts at $189,000. It's not clear how many ADUs currently exist in Connecticut, but Neri believes several factors will drive future demand: it's a densely populated state, the amount of land available is limited and there's a severe housing shortage. According to a report by ECOnor- thwest, a consulting firm hired by the state to study housing needs, Connecticut needs an additional 115,000 to 372,000 housing units to balance supply and demand. "So, by having accessory dwelling units, secondary homes within a given property, you can allow more people to have access to housing in different ways," Neri said. Growth potential The types of ADUs that Neri's firm builds cater to a variety of needs. Some homeowners are looking to build a private living space for a family member, such as aging parents or adult children. Or, they may AT A GLANCE Contemporary Tiny Homes Industry: Homebuilding Top Executive: Breno Neri, President HQ: 40 Richards Ave., Norwalk Website: www.ctiny.homes Contact: 860-846-4100 Pete Harrison

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