Housing Options
Home Sharing
As an alternative to moving into your home,
your parent may want to consider sharing their
home with others, moving into someone else's
home, or finding a new house that
can accommodate them and
several other people. Shared
households can be arranged either
by sharing expenses or by
exchanging services for rent. For
example, a homebound
homeowner might prefer having
someone do housework,
shopping, yard work, or other
errands in exchange for free
lodging. This sort of arrangement
should be put in writing, so there
are no misunderstandings later
Consider these issues:
- Do local zoning laws in your parent's
community permit two or more unrelated
people to share a house? Check with your
local zoning or planning board.
- Will your parents want to share their home
or move to share another's home?
- How will your parent's personality fit with
a potential housemate's?
- Do a background check with the local law
enforcement agency and be careful about
giving the person(s) sharing the home
access to the home owner's financial
information.
- How will sharing affect your parent's
finances?
- How will your parent resolve differences
that arise?
- What will new income do to your parent's
eligibility for certain public benefits like
Supplemental Security Income and Food
Stamps?
- What will your parent's responsibility be if
his or her housemate becomes ill?
Adding an Accessory Apartment
Another way your parent can remain at home
is to add a separate, self-contained apartment
unit to his or her house, called an accessory
apartment. This allows your parent to stay in
his or her house but not be alone, and the
rental income will provide him or her with
additional living resources. Creating a new
kitchen, bath and access are usually the most
expensive changes to be made; however, your
parent's home may only require minor changes
to accommodate an accessory
unit.
Before your parent starts
building, you might consider:
- Do zoning laws allow
accessory apartments?
Check with your parent's local zoning or
planning board before making plans.
- Will the cost of the renovation, increased
utility bills, higher taxes, and insurance
premiums be covered by the rent your
parent receives?
- Will the benefit of having someone nearby
be worth the expenses?
- Will your parent expect his or her tenant
to be a companion or will your parent have
a landlord/tenant relationship?
- Is sufficient parking available?
- How will your parent divide costs like
taxes and utilities between himself or
herself and the renter?
- Will your parent be able to manage the
responsibilities of a landlord?
- Will your parent be able to find tenants?
Before your parent searches for a tenant,
consider whether he or she wants a
companion, someone who provides home services, or just a renter. If your parent needs help around the house, some
tenants may be willing to exchange services for rent. Any arrangement for
exchange of services in lieu of rent should be put in writing as part of the rental
agreement. Also, it is important to be alert to any tax consequences in this type of exchange services.