Denver, CO – Today, The Colorado House of Representatives passed HB24-1152 in a bipartisan vote to legalize Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in order to address the housing crisis and protect rights for property owners in the state. HB24-1152 will create more housing supply by giving homeowners the right to build an ADU on their property. More ADUs can help Colorado families stay in the homes and communities they grew up in by providing extra income in the form of rent, helping an older family member age in place, or providing a home for a family member just starting out who is struggling to afford housing.
Centennial State Prosperity, Conservation Colorado, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Good Business Colorado, Denver Streets Partnership, Vibrant Littleton, Conservation Colorado, Yimby Fort Collins,
Signal Tech Coalition, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Thrive Economics, Gary Community Ventures, ProgressNow, and The Bell Policy Center released the following joint statement:
“Giving homeowners the freedom to construct Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their properties is instrumental in enabling Colorado families to maintain roots in their cherished homes and communities. These additional living spaces offer a means of supplementary income through rental opportunities, facilitate aging in place for seniors, and help younger relatives embark on their housing journey amidst affordability challenges. Expanding the allowance for ADU construction in Colorado not only safeguards private property rights from undue government interference but also bolsters the housing supply to meet escalating demand, thereby diversifying housing options. Thank you to our state leaders for passing this out of the House, and we look forward to its passage in the Senate. ”
This common-sense proposal supports Colorado’s local governments with grants to help them provide support to low and moderate-income Coloradans building an ADU, property owners renting their new ADU at an affordable rate, or ADUs intended to address housing needs in the community (like workforce housing or providing increased accessibility for Coloradans with disabilities), as well as remove burdensome red tape. ADUs tend to be more energy efficient and are more affordable options near where people work, live, and play, which limits exurban sprawl and transportation emissions.
An ADU is a smaller, separate living space on the same property as a main house – sometimes located above a garage or in a separate structure. They are also known as “granny flats” or casitas. A January poll released by Keating Research shows that 78% of Coloradans support a state law to allow ADUs to be built on single family home properties.