West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Mesocore Modular Homes is introducing an expandable modular housing model aimed at improving affordability and disaster relief, an important issue in a state prone to devastating hurricanes.
Positioned as an affordable housing solution for both homebuyers and city leaders, planners, emergency management professionals, and resilience experts focused on addressing climate-driven risks, Mesocore’s expandable home can start as a 420-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath home with a private bedroom, a full kitchen, a living area, and a built-in desk.
Essentially, the starter model is the size of a small ADU. If homeowners later decide they need more space, they can expand the home into a two-, three-, or four-bedroom house.
CEO Joe Esposito Sr. told The Builder’s Daily that the homes, which are designed to be expanded one time, are a great option for entry-level and first-time buyers. While the ADU model isn’t meant for a family, owners can expand the residence at their discretion when they need more space, as opposed to purchasing and moving to another home.
“This one-bedroom accessory dwelling unit that could expand into a full-size house would be something that would possibly…get starter homes back on track,” Esposito said.
Small homes and small lots
The expandable ADU model is meant to provide an affordable, entry-level homeownership opportunity that is an alternative to a condo. According to Esposito, many municipalities in Florida require a minimum lot size of 5,000 or 6,000 square feet for a primary household.
However, Mesocore is pushing to place homes on lots as small as 3,000 square feet to maximize affordability. This is why the builder selected Gainesville, Florida for its first expandable homes subdivision, which is set to be completed by the end of 2026. The City of Gainesville adopted a new land development code in 2024 that allows for single-family homes on lots as small as 3,000 square feet.
Denser communities with smaller lots can mean more affordable prices. In a college town like Gainesville, which is home to a disproportionate number of young adults, offering affordable ownership opportunities is crucial.
“The advantage of having a smaller lot is that it’s, of course, competitive. You have more units per acre,” Esposito said, explaining that many single-family communities in Europe have small lots and higher density.
In the United States, large lots and homes have become the norm, but that may change as affordability constraints mount.
“There is no reason to believe that every community or development needs to have lot sizes that demand bigger houses. It’s just a spiraling of higher costs every which way you go,” said Esposito.
Disaster relief and emergency management
Florida, which didn’t experience any hurricanes in 2025, was spared from Mother Nature’s wrath last year. However, the state commonly experiences devastating hurricanes that are capable of wiping out entire neighborhoods.
According to Esposito, Mesocore has had discussions with FEMA and state officials about potentially using the expandable home model for disaster relief. The model could help those in affected communities rebuild quickly, as the homes can be built and placed on-site in just two weeks.
When natural disasters displace residents, the first place they go is to temporary housing, often a hotel. After that, there needs to be some sort of permanent housing, a solution that ideally would be worked out quickly. The longer it takes to find a permanent solution, the greater the financial cost to FEMA and government entities.
“We could instantly create a community of these expandable houses, because they are modules. They generate enough electricity to run completely off-grid, and they collect water and store enough water to satisfy a family,” Esposito said.