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ECHO housing, also known as "Granny Flats", is a temporary, movable, self-contained house designed to enable older persons to live near family and/or caregivers in order to prevent them from having to be institutionalized.
An ECHO house provides good housing for older persons at a low cost since it is factory-built and there is no land cost. Installation of an ECHO unit ranges from $16,790 for an elder room (efficiency) to $25,620 for a one-bedroom cottage.
The major benefit of the ECHO house is that it enables an older person to live independently and privately in a home of their own, while simultaneously allowing them to live near a caregiver who can maintain their own privacy.
Older homeowners who choose to rent out their home and move into ECHO housing will be provided with rental income. Their families will also save money, as the ECHO housing will allow them to substitute family care for more expensive institutional care.
For more information on this and other senior housing options, visit our Links section under the heading "Housing". You can also contact us for more information or assistance.
