Calgary to test seniors' laneway housing in New Year

A pilot project that could someday alter the lives of many Calgary seniors has been given the green light by the city.

In Januarythe University of Calgarywill place its first temporary laneway house behind an inner city home.

An older individual or older couple will reside there for several monthswhile information is collected about the impact that this aging-in-place unit has on the surrounding neighbourhood.

Thena test unitwill be tried in a different area of the city later in 2017.

Affordable and portable

The 460-square-foot living quarters behind a family home is touted as a cheaper alternativetoa hospital or long-term care facility.

"They share a backyard, they can look after some informal childcare, they're able to just walk across the lawn to get to dinner. Family members have the peace of mind to know that if somebody is ill, that they're just right there," John Brown,one of the architects involved with the pilot, told the Calgary Eyeopener on Monday.

The homes couldbe self-contained or have an above ground "umbilical cord" that could tap into water, heat, electricity, cable and internet from main home.

Senior students from the U of C's faculty of environment design andresearchers from the Cumming School of Medicinehave been working on prototypes for the last three years.

"Right now the feedback is very, very positive. It outshines most apartments and certainly all long-term care facilities," Brown said.

If the pilot project goes wellthe plan is to leasefuture laneway homes to families similar toother medical equipment such as a wheelchair or heart-rate monitor.

When the unit is no longer neededit can be moved to another property and used by another senior.

"So you're amortizing the costs of not only the structure but all of the sophisticated medical and monitoring equipment that are going into that house over a much, much, longer period of time," Brown said.

Temporary medical housing

The first laneway house will likely be located on a property where a backyard suite is already allowed. In this case a development permit will be required, followed by building and trade permits.

Howeverif there was ever a situation where a unit was requested on a property that does not allow backyard suites, the homeowner would have to apply for an amendment to the land use bylaw.

Coun.Andre Chabot says the city is glad to support the project by finding a way to make it work as a temporary use designation.

"We may need to create a second or a unique land use designation for this sort of medical type housing because it is in essence a medical type housing."

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Not intended for snowbirds

According to the report that went before a city committee on Monday, seniors make up 10 per cent of Calgary's current population. That number is expected to double by 2026.

HoweverBrown saidthe laneway homes being built by the University of Calgaryare not intended for healthy, independent seniors looking for affordable housing solutions.

"It's something that is going to require a physician's signature in order to even be considered. We're not looking at older individuals that jet off to Florida for the winter," said Brown.

"This is about a loved one who is old and frail and needs some community support."

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener