After spending twenty years designing new products for corporations, Breno Neri first came across accessory dwelling units (ADUs) while visiting out West. Growing up on the East Coast, he realized that such flexible small-unit housing was rare in his home region—and that set him thinking.
Then, in 2021, Connecticut passed Public Act No. 21-29 legislation that made ADUs legal and asked municipalities to look into accessory dwellings as an opportunity to mitigate the state’s housing crisis. By allowing a property owner to build an ADU without requiring a special permit or going before a public hearing, the homes would add affordability and availability to the state’s housing stock.
Some towns did change their zoning regulations, others opted out and set up their own regulations for the units.
Against this legislative backdrop, in 2024, Breno Neri and his husband, Andrew Singer, founded Contemporary Tiny Homes in Norwalk. They saw the ADU trend as an opportunity to add affordable, flexible housing that promotes multigenerational living, and meets a need created by Connecticut’s housing supply constraints.
This year, they have built ADUs, also known as granny flats or in-law suites in Bristol, Ledyard and Fairfield, while Groton and Guilford are on track to get some as well.
“A tiny home is a specific type of ADU,” said Neri. “Some are ‘trailable,’ meaning they are on wheels. Our homes are on regular concrete foundations. The maximum size depends on the town’s zoning regulations. There are some that are 800 to 1,200 square feet. Some are even 1,500 square feet. The sweet spot is 600 to 800 square feet, one- to two-bedroom units.”
He calls it “multigenerational living,” with an ADU in the backyard providing privacy in one’s own space. “One of our customer’s, her husband had passed away, and she was uncomfortable living in her house so she sold it and built an ADU in her son’s backyard.
“Empty-nesters can build a comfortable ADU in their backyard and rent out the main house, making retirement affordable right there.”
The cost to build a tiny house is about $200,000, and the company offers financial options on its website. “One can upgrade to one’s heart’s content,” Neri said.
The company is on target to sell 18 to 20 homes this year and forecasts building one per week next year, when it begins operation in Massachusetts. Rhode Island is next in line in 2027.
“We’re well-positioned to help a large number of people,” he added. “We’re putting together a top-notch team in architecture and construction project management to assist families in sticking together and being happier and healthier.”
