Denver tweaks its ADU standards
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Denver hopes building accessory dwelling units will be easier for most residents after adopting new standards that went into effect on Wednesday.
Driving the news: The city council changed the one-size-fits-all approach to building ADUs by allowing property owners to build up to two stories in certain areas, removing minimum lot size requirements and changing setback requirements for the distance between the units and property lines.
Why it matters: ADUs can provide extra income for property owners who can rent them out, and they provide a more affordable housing option.
Of note: The city classifies its neighborhoods by contexts like urban or suburban, which determines what can be built there.
- An example of an "urban" neighborhood would be Congress Park, while University Hills is labeled a "suburban" one.
- Only about 31% of all properties in Denver are currently zoned to allow ADUs.
Zoom in: West Denver Renaissance Collaborative (WDRC) director Renee Martinez Stone tells us her agency launched a pilot program to create casitas — another name for the units — in 2021, with a focus on helping West Denver homeowners at risk of displacement.
- Martinez Stone tells us the new standard will allow an additional 3,500 homeowners in West Denver to build ADUs on their properties.
By the numbers: Depending on the size, Martinez Stone said building an ADU can cost between $236,000 to $310,000.
- WDRC has a state grant that can help homeowners in West Denver with $20,000 to $40,000 towards infrastructure costs to build one.
The big picture: Over the past three years, council members and community groups have passed neighborhood-wide rezoning for places like Athmar Park, Barnum, Chaffee Park and East Colfax to make it easier to build them.