For years, Marie Limoges believed her daughter’s garage “would make a terrific tiny house.”

About a year ago, she and her daughter, Michele Grimes, started to make this dream a reality. Limoge moved into her tiny house in the Gaspee section of Warwick in January and couldn’t be happier.

“At a certain point you start to wonder if you can get a project like this off the ground,” she said last week standing on the porch of her new 650 square-foot home, noting the stress of increasing rents. “We decided to jump in and get it done.”

On March 19, she and Grimes were joined by elected officials, builders, and others to cut the ribbon on Warwick’s first accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under new legislation.

The Limoge project was managed by Giuseppe “Joe” Pagnani from NE Tiny Homes of East Providence, along with company co-owners Kyle Seyboth and Alicia Medeiros. The three have worked in real estate and property development for years and decided to seize this moment in home construction.

According to a press release from the office of Speaker Joseph Shekarchi, ADUs, sometimes referred to as in-law apartments or granny flats, have become increasingly popular around the country in recent years as states as municipalities balance the need to create more housing while preserving the character of residential neighborhoods.

New law

The legislation allowing for ADUs was signed into law in June 2024 and was sponsored by House Commission on Housing Affordability Chairwoman June S. Speakman and Sen. Victoria Gu. Shekarchi was the House bill’s top cosponsor.

The new law provides homeowners the right to develop a single ADU on an owner-occupied property, within the existing footprint of their structures or on any lot larger than 20,000 square feet, provided that the ADU’s design satisfies building code, size limits and infrastructure requirements, according to the Shekarchi’s office.

The legislation prohibits ADUs constructed under this provision from being used as short-term rentals and streamlines the permitting process.

The need

“There is a massive need for affordable housing,” said Seyboth. He noted with the passage of the ADU legislation, there is “an excellent opportunity” in the market.

“This is not a fad,” said Medeiros, noting that as a mom she is already thinking ahead about how they can afford housing in the future and considering her own garage conversion. “People need housing, and this [option] is an affordable, stable solid investment people can feel positive about.”

Pagnani agreed. “Multigenerational living is sustainable and affordable,” he said.

“We must reframe how we think about housing as we grow older, and ADUs are part of the equation,” said Catherine Taylor, AARP Rhode Island state director in a press release. “Aging in community – where 87 percent of Rhode Islanders 45 and older have told us they wish to be – is possible if homes can be modified to accommodate changing needs. Our cities and towns must have housing options that are suitable for differing incomes, ages and life stages. ADUs are an important way to accomplish this goal.”

Along with AARP, the bill was supported by numerous organizations and agencies, including Rhode Island Housing, Grow Smart RI and Housing Network RI.

Getting started

There are a couple major steps to consider before construction even begins, starting with financing and site review. So long as the homeowner has the space, it can be assessed for an ADU. Projects can range from a new build to converting a garage, basement or attic.

Once the project financing was set, the next important step for Limoge was to find a trustworthy partner. She chose the NE Tiny Home team.

“Start early,” said Pagnani when asked for his top bit of advice for homeowners. His team works with customers every step of the way, from assessing their property to design to organizing general contractors. “We take it all on, right down to the appliances,” he said.

Some properties require site surveys, which may include septic system reviews. And then there is the permitting. Pagnani acknowledged given the newness of the legislation, receiving permitting approvals is taking a little time. He’s committed to working with cities and towns to by “keeping lines of communications open” to navigate projects.

“The permit process took a long time,” said Limoges, again noting that her project was the first in Warwick under the new law.

For the Limoge project, with financing set and permits in hand, crews ripped the roof off the existing garage and went up two levels. The initial framing started around Labor Day weekend.

The final product: a new build tiny home with approximately 650 square feet of living space, including a kitchen, a loft, one bedroom, and one bath.

“I would have lost my mind doing this on my own,” Limoge said. “It was a wonderful experience. The guys had such work ethic.”

The feeling was mutual. “I love my clients,” said Pagnani, noting the personal rewards he feels helping people age in place.

“What better thing is there than keeping families together,” he said.