God and the Granny Pod

A Methodist reverend has a vision of a portable living space for aging seniors that could be set up in a family's backyard. Local officials worry about them becoming permanent if zoning changes.

1 minute read

May 13, 2010, 1:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


The Reverend Kenneth Dupin calls them MEDcottages, but the nickname "granny pod" has stuck, particularly among critics.

"Is it a good idea to throw people into a storage container and put them in your back yard?" said Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff C. McKay (D-Lee). "This is the granny pod. What's next? The college dropout pod?"

Dupin has been successful in getting the Virginia General Assembly to pass a law that supersedes local zoning laws in allowing the granny pods.

Monday, May 10, 2010 in The Washington Post

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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