4 generations, 4 homes, 1 lot: Vancouver family builds own private neighborhood

To help their kids afford housing in the Vancouver area, John and Kathleen Higgins demolished their family home of three decades to build 4 homes on the same lot for their kids, grandkids, and 94-year-old great-grannie.

In 1988, John and Kathleen Higgins bought a modest 1,300-square-foot rancher on a cul-de-sac in Delta, British Columbia, where they raised their seven children. Convinced that the typical 66-foot suburban lot was a waste of land, they began dreaming up alternatives, envisioning smaller homes clustered together to maximize space and community.

After years of pitching the idea to neighbors and local officials, the couple finally gained unanimous approval from the city in 2016 to demolish their old home and replace it with two duplexes—four homes in total—each with its own land title.

The new homes, two at 830 square feet and two at 1,150 square feet, provide a fresh start for the entire family. John and Kathleen now live in one unit, staying rooted in the neighborhood they’ve loved for decades.

Their sons, James and Patrick, each own a unit, a lifeline in a region where homeownership often feels out of reach. The fourth unit belongs to their daughter, who rents it to her 94-year-old grandmother, now surrounded by two great-grandchildren and one more on the way.

[ditsehv]

she's so active and independent at 94! this is TRUE wealth

[MarciaClarksPerm]

Helps solve the housing crisis but also the loneliness crisis. So heartwarming to see the different generations interact, loved how you kept the audio of the uncle and his nephew at the end.

[yodoleheehoo]

What is even MORE miraculous is that this is a tightly knit, loving, and team oriented family where the kids are willing and happy to live near their parents/grandparents on the same lot even after they are grown! That takes dedication and real love to raise such a powerful foundation!

[powlowful]

This is the first time I watched a house video where I was more impressed with the family (grandparents specifically) than the house itself.

[ellag]

Can we just acknowledge how spunky grand mom is? She is just a ball of energy!! More families need to live like this to make it in this new America. Love it!!

[mattcunliffe]

As a 36 year old that had lost both parents by the time I was 32, watching this and seeing this family so close together brings a tear to my eye...
For them to be able to spend so much time together as an extended family is incredible.x

[otter-pro]

The architect for this house (compound) needs an award! There are so many little obstacles that they had to overcome, to make this a reality.

[nutsbutdum]

These kids are lucky. They live near their grandparents and their great-grandmother. Wow!

[travellingyeti]

Shout out to grandma and grandpa for sharing the wealth and gifting this land to build 4 houses for their kids, setting them up for success. This dynamic is true wealth. Can't be said about many selfish families these days who don't get along with their family. Wishing them all the best

Unfortunately this will only work as long as the families dont grow, and only until the kids get bigger and need more space.

[aye]

This is a dream scenario. Those kids are going to really appreciate this when they grow up. What a blessing.

[beataplaya]

Compared to enormous houses that are eventually sold when children move out and owners move to hospice, this family inspires people to consider a more holistic approach in life.

[MrsKE]

My husband got to interview this family and they invited my husband and I over for coffee. They are so wonderful and so passionate about making it possible for others to build homes like this. I wish more people thought like them!

[peachyrider]

Wow, 4 generations living within feet of one another is so very special.

[intrinsicfactor]

_We live only a few blocks from this property. We are planning to do a similar venture on our lot with our grown children. Our lot is much larger at just under 14, 000 sq ft so lots of options to explore. Thanks for doing this video. They are a wonderful family here in North Delta._

[normanmusimwa]

I am impressed that the local authority planning permission allowed this. Fantastic idea.

[Lana.Montenegro]

How beautiful it is to see family together. Also, a fact that a daughter-in-law's sister has a room I mean, you can feel the warmth of this mum.

[Shemra]

I lived in a multi-family home as a small child. The love and security I felt has stayed with me my whole life. God bless you all.

[DukeOTN]

This kind of stuff is genuinely what America and Canada need more of. Less family separation and more communal engagement. Far too long have we built our communities to be expansive, and houses huge. Towns and cities start to feel less like like a community and more just an amalgamation of houses with land in between. It doesn't feel like a community, everyone and everything is so distant, yet close in a sense at the same time. Also back to the separation of families, while obviously you can't always stay together for many different reasons, and not every family is going to love each other in the same way. Keeping close like this is such a wonderful thing. I am fortunate to grow up on a street where my grandparents also have their home, so I saw them very often. Most people on the street were either family friends or very acquainted with one another, so it just feels like one close community. And now with my aunt and uncle moving in just a few houses down, we have even more family close by and it feels reassuring and comfortable. It makes me want to have a home close by as well and keep on the community feeling.

[Sunflowergarden]

This level of care from mom and dad fully benefits their multigenerational family with dignity for all who live there. I have cared for seniors for 25 years many live in a very large home and are extremely lonely and rarely hear from their children. This family has an abundance of love. Thank you Kristen for showing what a family compound looks
like. If more counties allowed multi family homes on one lot there wouldn’t be a housing shortage.

[gauravk_in]

"kids having connection with great grandma... That's a richness that we're really happy to have!" What a remarkable way to think about it!