The Rev. Kenneth Dupin of Virginia wanted to find a way to keep elderly folks independent and near their families while providing the care they need. So he invented the MEDCottage, and is working with cities to change zoning to allow it.
The so-called "granny pods" are modular units that can be placed in the backyards of homes temporarily to keep elderly near their family but also monitor their health needs.
NPR's Audie Cornish reports that "The concept is catching on all over the country, but nowhere more so than Virginia, where the state government has eased zoning restrictions on these high-tech hideaways, which go on the market early next year."
FULL STORY: 'Granny Pods' Keep Elderly Close, At Safe Distance
Seniors Over 50 Make up Almost Half of California’s Unhoused Population
A new study finds that low-income seniors are increasingly unable to find affordable housing.
The Challenges of Aging in Place
Seniors in one Bay Area community want to stay in their communities, but many find the cost of living and maintaining older homes prohibitive.
The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”
HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.
Amtrak Ramping Up Infrastructure Projects
Thanks to federal funding from the 2021 infrastructure act, the agency plans to triple its investment in infrastructure improvements and new routes in the next two years.
Ending Downtown San Francisco’s ‘Doom Loop’
A new public space project offers an ambitious vision—so why is the city implementing it at such a small scale?
Proposal Would Transform L.A.’s ‘Freeway to Nowhere’ Into Park, Housing
A never-completed freeway segment could see new life as a mixed-use development with housing, commercial space, and one of the county’s largest parks.
Former Brooklyn Sugar Refinery Reopens as All-Electric Office Tower
A historic building was reimagined as a 15-story office tower powered by renewable energy.
NHTSA: Traffic Fatalities Decline for Fifth Straight Quarter
Traffic deaths were 3.3 percent lower in the first half of 2023 than the same period last year, but not all states saw the same results.
LA Rail Project Testing Electric Excavator
The battery-powered excavator could replace diesel-powered machinery to reduce construction emissions and noise.
Urban3
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
