Woefully underinsured, an Altadena retiree ponders building a tiny house at the back of his yard to replace the three-bedroom home he lost in the January firestorms .

His insurance would pay, at most, just a third of the cost to replace the 78-year-old house he shared for almost three decades with his wife.

RELATED: California is so eager for homeowners to build ADUs, it’s helping them save on architect fees

The only way to get back home and preserve the generational wealth he’s created for his heirs could be a casita or a granny flat, or as city planners call it, an accessory dwelling unit.

“I’m definitely thinking we’re going to build an ADU,” said Martin Gordon, using the familiar acronym for these secondary home structures. “There’s no way I could afford to build a house.”

Acr

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