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GREATER HARTFORD HEALTH • Spring 2018 www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 26, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 25 "at was kind of the point, to create a conversation," he said. Some municipal officials who have opted out said their zoning rules are accommodating enough. ey, for example, allow for the addition of in-law apartments. Some municipalities, such as Hartford and South Windsor, allow for accessory units to be built in existing structures, such as a barn or garage. Sara Bronin, chair of Hartford's planning and zoning commission, said an abundance of multifamily and affordable housing options was another reason the city opted out of the granny-pod law, which is seen as overreaching by many local officials. "e heart of local zoning is local control over what is built in your town," she said. "So I'm not surprised many municipalities have opted out." Officials from some opt-out towns, including Plainville, stated a desire to review local zoning rules to make them more accommodating. "Plainville has a fairly liberal accessory apartment regulation that the [planning and zoning commission] is currently working on to effect a faster approval process for those with medical needs similar to those described in the statute, in addition to potentially reducing the minimum floor area requirements," said Mark S. DeVoe, the town's director of planning and economic development. Windsor Locks planning officials have also said they're going to develop regulations aimed at serving the demographic targeted by the granny-pod law, according to Town Planner Jennifer Valentino Rodriguez. "Oen new legislation will spark or expand important conversations," she said. Granny-pod manufacturer eyes CT At least several companies build granny pods, including Echo Cottages in Hopewell Junction, N.Y. Asked about the lack of demand in Connecticut so far, Katharine Di Cerbo, a marketing consultant for Echo, said she's not sure if residents here are fully aware of the option. "We've been getting some inquiries from Connecticut, but I don't think they've been related to the new law," she said. Echo has been networking with homecare providers in the state and is hoping to spread awareness of granny pods. Given Connecticut's proximity to New York, Di Cerbo said she hopes this can become a new market for Echo. An Echo unit costs $64,999 plus approximately $10,000 to $12,000 for delivery and installation, Di Cerbo said. e company, founded in 2011, has sold eight units so far. "Zoning is our No. 1 obstacle," Di Cerbo said. Some companies that make granny pods oen market their cost compared to a year in a nursing home. In Connecticut, the average annual cost of staying in a nursing home is more than $151,000, according to the state Office of Policy and Management. e cost comparison is "a happy coincidence, not the main driver," for Echo's buyers, Di Cerbo said. "It's that people really want to keep a careful eye on their parents without sacrificing either their own independence or their parents' independence," she said. Skepticism, concern e problem with comparing long- term care costs with the costs of putting a tiny home in your backyard, is that the two things aren't really comparable, said Matthew Barrett, CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, which represents nursing-home and assisted-living operators. "e nursing- home sector has no objection to these structures if towns want to allow them, and they could meet the needs of some needing long-term care services, but they should never be characterized as an alternative to nursing homes," Barrett said. For family members with modest needs, you'd have to at least factor in the cost of a homecare service or other supports in addition to the cost of a pod, Barrett said. For those with more complex needs, buying a small cottage would be just the start. "e very difficult part is the next step — to find the services the person needs," Barrett said. Julianne Roth, president of homecare provider Companions for Living, and board chair of the Connecticut Association for Homecare Agencies, said none of her 130 providers have come across a client living in a granny pod. "I think they're a fantastic idea," she said. "at's what we do all the time — help people stay in their homes longer." Roth said she would like her agency to partner with a granny- pod builder for cross-marketing purposes. But she's also worried about the barriers the new law sets up, and what that might mean for future care options. "We have an explosion of people coming our way in this industry," she said. "Unless we figure something out, we're going to have a problem." What is a granny pod? Granny pods are small, portable garden cottages installed in a home's yard for an elderly person who is no longer able to live on their own, according to Echo Cottages in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., which makes the temporary healthcare structures. The pods are built to look like permanent residences with siding, windows and decking, and often include a living room, bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. The homes also include a safety alarm and warning and panic button systems. An Echo granny pod costs $64,999 plus delivery and installation. Sara Bronin, Chair, Planning and Zoning Commission, Hartford Matthew Barrett, CEO, Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities H Julianne Roth, president of West Hartford homecare provider Companions for Living, likes the granny-pod idea. An Echo Cottages unit in Ithaca, N.Y. (Below) An overhead view of an Echo Cottages layout, which includes a kitchen, living room, and bedroom. P H O T O S \ \ C O N T R I B U T E D P H O T O \ \ H B J F I L E

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