Summary
In-law suites can generate much-needed rental income, but they can also enable intergenerational living. 23,000 permits were issued in California in 2022, more than quadruple the number in 2017. The process of designing a granny flat poses an intriguing challenge.
Cathy Purple Cherry of Annapolis, Maryland–based Purple Cherry Architects is the mother of an adult son on the Autism spectrum and sibling of a brother with Down syndrome. When designing an in-law suite for aging parents, creating an accessible path is essential. “I know it wants to be sexy,” Cherry says of the swank ADU designs that populate Instagram.
