4/2 Newsletter: Soldiering on despite Covid Nineteen
4/2 Newsletter: Soldiering on despite Covid Nineteen
What's relevant in such an unprecedented time of uncertainty?
This is the question I've been tossing answers at for the last two weeks. I keep waffling between wanting to take my wife, dog, and camper north to wait until “September ends”, and what is hopefully a more productive thought; preparing to emerge from this crisis stronger and ready to help homeowners prepare for the next one by bringing families closer and/or making them more financial secure with a backyard home for family, as a rental, or to sell.
Unfortunately, even as I write this, I am still bouncing between the two trains of thought for the same reasons everyone else is. Nobody knows what is going to happen next. The worst part is that “normalcy” will not return until a drug emerges or we achieve herd immunity, neither of which is likely to happen this year. This means it’s on us and our communities to find a way to carry on living.
BUT, there are silver linings.
I have noticed some silver linings. I'm checking my "muted" family-group text more often and so is my youngest brother who rarely gets involved. My mother-in-law got her daughters on Face Time for the first time. And, I've seen more families exercising on Mount Tom in the last week than I have in the last 3 years since I moved to Easthampton.
And beyond all that– Employers will emerge more comfortable with remote work and be more likely to give employees flexibility in their work hours which will help parents care for children and help mothers advance in the workplace and inch toward equal pay (mothers still face the brunt of childcare responsibilities, and suffer professionally for it).
Beyond family, more remote work also means less road miles, less greenhouse gases and a net positive for the environment. One study found that the reduction in air pollution in China during their shutdown may have prevented 50,000 premature deaths. Wow.
At the end of the day, this crisis is proving out what's important. Family and friends and how we spend our time.
What is Backyard ADUs Covid-19 Plan?
This week I realized that the business I started last fall shouldn’t wait until this is over to soldier on. We can’t help make PPE, but we should help the hundreds of families that started thinking about backyard homes for family and/or for rental income before Covid-19, use their time at home to plan their projects and emerge from this crisis stronger. It's time for me and our team to stop waffling on uncertainties out of our control and focus on something that is certain; people still need a place to live and we have the tools to fix it.
Here's what we will do for you:
We are deferring our $5,000 refundable retainer for our Phase 1 Planning Stage until construction starts. This means you can start planning your project without impacting your finances.
So, if you want a distraction, let’s start planning your project! We won't break ground on new projects until this is over, but we can complete the extensive planning, design your home [and backyard], obtain city approvals, and be ready for the construction phase this summer or whenever you are ready. To get started, reply to this email or follow the link below.