Granny Flats for Affordable Housing in West Denver

"West Denver is full of modest homes in neighborhoods that are among the last bastions of affordability for their heavily Latino and working-class owners. But in a fast-growing city, that stability is fading quickly," Jon Murray writes in the Denver Post. Renee Martinez-Stone, of the West Denver Renaissance Collaborative, is trying to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as part of the solution to spiking housing costs.

"She sees two potential shots in the arm for the neighborhoods if more homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs: more financial stability for the primary homes’ owners, and greater availability of small, affordable rentals for young adults and, perhaps, older residents with fixed incomes," Murray reports.

Her group is working with Habitat for Humanity on a pilot program to build these homes. "The program also could streamline the permitting process by offering a half-dozen or so pre-reviewed, quickly adaptable ADU designs," Murray writes. If the response to the program is positive, the group would look to expand the initiative, eventually building 250 homes.