Life comes in seasons, and I think about what comes next for my family all the time. It’s overwhelming to think about what life will look like for my wife and me once our kids are grown. The one thing I know for sure: I want to have options.

It should be up to you and your family – not zoning boards, not anyone else – to decide what best suits your needs as you get older.

My plan:

One of the simplest ways to open up options is to legalize and incentivize accessory dwelling units – ADUs – so you can build an additional, small-footprint living space on your own property.

It’s your land. You should be able to build a space for:

Your adult kids — a place to stay while they get on their feet, save for a down payment, and stay close to family instead of moving away.

A home health aide — live-in support that lets you stay in your own home years longer, on your own terms.

Yourself — a manageable, single-level space of your own without the upkeep of the full house, while your adult children raise their family in the home where you raised them. The house stays in the family. The grandkids grow up down the walkway.

Right now, outdated zoning rules make this illegal or impractical in much of Michigan. That’s a policy choice – and it’s the wrong one.

Aging shouldn’t mean fewer choices. It should mean the freedom to write the next season on your own terms, in the community you call home.