Denver, CO – Yesterday, the Colorado Senate passed HB24-1152 to legalize Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs),protecting rights for property owners and helping alleviate the housing crisis in the state. HB24-1152 will create more housing supply, helping Colorado families stay in the homes and communities they grew up in by helping an older family member age in place, providing a home for a family member just starting out who is struggling to afford housing or providing extra income in the form of rent.
Centennial State Prosperity, AARP Colorado, Conservation Colorado, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Good Business Colorado, Denver Streets Partnership, Vibrant Littleton, Conservation Colorado, YIMBY Denver, YIMBY Fort Collins, Signal Tech Coalition, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Thrive Economics, Gary Community Ventures, ProgressNow, AFT Colorado and The Bell Policy Center released the following joint statement:
“The Senate has given its approval, propelling us closer to empowering Colorado families to flourish in their cherished communities. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are now set to increase housing options for more Coloradans, offering a myriad of benefits from supplementary income to facilitating multigenerational living arrangements. This expansion of ADU permissions is not just a defense of property rights; it’s a bold step toward meeting our state’s ever-growing housing demands. Immense gratitude is owed to our bipartisan bill sponsors whose dedication has brought us to this pivotal moment. Now, united in purpose, let’s ensure the swift passage of this bill to the Governor’s desk.”
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 removes 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.
The Denver Post Editorial Board recently came out in support of HB-1152 stating that ADUs “could slowly have an impact on bringing down rents and purchase prices.”
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.
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