These 4 homeowners built tiny homes in their yards to be better caregivers for their loved ones

Lena Koropey and her mother. Courtesy of Lena Koropey

Seeking more space, some homeowners are building accessory dwelling units in their yards.

Some use them for rental income, while others use them to keep loved ones who need care close by.

Business Insider spoke to 4 families who built ADUs for their loved ones about the experience.

Lena Koropey's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease nearly a decade ago. Since then, she's watched her once-independent mother come to rely on others for nearly every part of daily life.

"It's definitely getting harder each year," Koropey, 48, told Business Insider.

Six years ago, Koropey bought a three-bedroom home in Mattituck, on Long Island's North Fork, where she lives with her mother and a live-in caregiver. The house is only 1,300 square feet, but it sits on half an acre, giving Koropey room to rethink their living arrangement as her mother's condition progresses.

"I've created spreadsheets and mapped out various scenarios, including building a small cottage or an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on our property, moving to another house, or, as a last resort, placing my mother in a care facility," she said. "For now, we've decided to build an ADU ."

Koropey plans to build a 750-square-foot home on the property and move into it herself, leaving her mother in the main house with her caregiver and familiar surroundings.

"There is no perfect solution, but my property gives me the flexibility to adapt our living arrangement as her needs change and, ultimately, to care for her at home for as long as possible," she said.

People are building ADUs for loved ones who need care

An ADU is a small home, often built in a backyard. They typically range from 150 to 1,200 square feet, and cost $100,000 to $300,000 to build, before extras like permitting fees. As ADUs have grown more popular, some states, including California and New York, offer financial assistance to homeowners who build them.

Business Insider has spoken with dozens of people over the years about why they built ADUs on their properties . Some needed extra space or a home office, while others saw an opportunity for rental income. Increasingly, families are also using ADUs to keep loved ones who need care close by.

Rachael Reiner, director of pre-construction and project management at the Bay Area-based ADU company Villa , told Business Insider that the trend has grown in popularity as multigenerational living becomes more common. According to Reiner, 75% of Villa's sales so far in 2026 have been for multigenerational living purposes.

"The majority of our ADU projects are driven by families seeking to balance independence with accessible care," Reiner said. "These spaces provide either aging relatives or loved ones requiring support the autonomy they desire while ensuring they remain close to family for support and oversight."

For the Kuchtas, building an ADU opened the door to more disability services

Building an ADU isn't necessarily cheap, but in an expensive housing market like California, it can still be a more affordable option. That was the case for Todd Kuchta, who lives in Napa County with his wife, Gabrielle, and son, Jacob.

Jacob has autism and needs help with daily tasks like taking medication and preparing meals, but he still wants his independence. When he told his parents he was ready to move out, they carefully weighed their options.

They could buy a larger home, giving him more space, or move Jacob into supported housing, where he'd have his own room and staff available to help with his needs. But neither option seemed affordable. Jacob's medical support costs alone could sometimes exceed $9,000 a month.

The Kuchtas and an aerial view of their backyard ADU. Villa/Nicholas Miller

Instead, the Kuchtas decided to build an ADU on their property in 2023.

Jacob's 480-square-foot, one-bedroom home cost them $248,000 to build— far less than Napa County's $907,440 median home price in August. They financed it in part through Napa County's Affordable ADU program , which offers forgivable loans to homeowners who rent the units to low-income tenants for at least 5 years.

"Napa County provided $63,000 as a forgivable loan, and we worked with Redwood Credit Union, which provided an additional $160,000 loan as a second mortgage," Kuchta, 60, told Business Insider. "We used a portion of Jacob's disability income to help cover the ADU rent, which, in turn, offsets our monthly mortgage."

Jacob's decorated room. Villa/Nicholas Miller

Not only is Jacob, who turned 28 this year, thrilled to live on his own, but he has also gained access to more support. He's now eligible for additional disability services through the state of California, including an in-home aide for eight hours a day during the week. Kuchta's wife also became certified as an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider and is paid to help care for him.

"The ADU has provided us just what we need to provide independence to Jacob and provide us with the ability to continue supporting him while having more freedom," Kuchta said.

Shalini Karnani Bonjour's mother can comfortably age in place

For some families, an ADU can be a way to keep an aging loved one close before a health issue or an emergency arises.

When Shalini Karnani Bonjour's father died in 2024, she didn't want her mother living on her own hundreds of miles away in Michigan.

"My mom was 78, and my husband and I didn't feel comfortable having her so far away, especially when it came to her day-to-day needs," Bonjour, 50, told Business Insider.

After helping her mom sell her home and move to California , Bonjour and her husband explored different living options for her, including renting an apartment, moving into an independent-living community, or moving into assisted living . But "none were ideal," she said.

Karnani Bonjour in her backyard. Courtesy of Shalini Karnani Bonjour

In 2024, the couple purchased a 2,222-square-foot home in the ...

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