MILFORD — Milford’s first stick-built accessory dwelling unit received a certificate of occupancy last week as retired school teacher and single mom Judy Purcell prepared to move into her new home behind her son’s home.
The 76-year-old Milfordian is just one of several occupants in new accessory dwelling units across the state as municipalities and counties move to accept the concept via ordinances, increasing the state’s available affordable housing units and helping occupants like Purcell find a renewed sense of independence and peace of mind.
She told the Delaware Business Times that prior to moving into her own space again, she had occupied one bedroom with a bed, dresser, Lazy Boy and computer for the past four years. Although she enjoyed living with family, she was ready to move back out on her own in a way that would feel comfortable, safe and still near her loved ones. She bought the
“[It’s] security, safety and happiness,” Purcell told DBT. “This is a mansion. This is so nice to have. I can sit in the living room. I can sit in my bedroom. I can cook my own meal, but still be close enough [to family].”
Her daughter, Elizabeth Keller, said the option to reside in an accessory dwelling unit also provides financial stability for the family that wouldn’t otherwise be available without Milford’s new ordinance.
“In looking at all of the housing opportunities in the area, this is a third of the cost. For someone who’s over 70, this provides a lot more financial security to be able to have a smaller loan than a larger loan which is good,” Keller told DBT.
While local leaders lauded Purcell’s unit as the first stick-built accessory dwelling unit in the dual-county city, they say it’s not the first accessory dwelling unit as other such units have previously been added to garages or other fixtures.
“I think what we’re trying to do is get ahead of the curve. . . Everybody’s talking about, ‘How am I going to take care of my in-laws, my parents, my kids that are in school,’” Milford Housing Development Corporation (MHDC) President and CEO David Moore said during a ceremony commemorating Purcell’s new home.
MHDC, along with Mission Builders, constructed the home for the Purcell family with eyes set on doing more in the future.
The new, relaxed accessory dwelling unit ordinance in Milford, passed in early 2024, gave her son, Jim Purcell, and others in the family the opportunity to create the new dwelling instead of repurposing a space above a garage which would require her to make her way up and down stairs every time she wanted to enter or leave her living space which could prove difficult for many who may need to consider this option in the future.
“A few garage apartments have been done. . . but not stick builds from the ground up so we started looking at the requirements and it’s basically based on a percentage of the existing house. Without getting into the weeds, the owner has to live in one or the other. What it worked out to be here is about 675 square feet and Mom’s got a heck of a dwelling here,” he added.
While municipalities consider accessory dwelling unit ordinances and unit approvals in increasing numbers, Sussex County Communications Director Chip Guy told DBT in an email that the county, outside of municipal jurisdictions, currently has its first accessory dwelling unit working its way through the permitting process under the county’s new ordinance. But, he added, many similar structures have come before this new construction trend in other ways.
Previously, additional or accessory living structures on a property already occupied were often considered “garage or studio apartments” with different rules and requirements than currently required by the new accessory dwelling unit ordinances seen across the state. Sussex County’s ordinance was passed in June of 2024, relaxing previous rules which made new builds difficult or near impossible.
A five-year breakdown of living spaces under the older guidelines showcases a total of 72 units approved by Sussex County through 2023 with 62 of them approved administratively and 10 approved by the county’s board of adjustment.
Kent County was the first to relax regulations on accessory dwelling units in 2023, and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer signed a similar ordinance into law for New Castle County in October.
“Finding affordable housing is a huge challenge for people just starting out on their own and for more mature adults on a fixed income and having this as an option for families to help their kids have a transitional space to be able to live independently and be able to build savings for eventual home ownership in the future is a fantastic opportunity to build wealth,” Milford City Council Member Nadia Zychal told DBT.
“It’s also a good option for older relatives to be able to live independently, but with the security of having loved ones available in case help is needed, and it’s a great option for those who aren’t comfortable with or ready for transitioning to an assisted living facility,” she added.
Purcell would agree and told DBT, “It’s not just the house, though. There’s no stairs and family is right there. This feels safe to me.”
Now that she has moved in, Purcell has a different goal at the top of her mind – hosting this year’s family Thanksgiving in her new home.
