SB 24-154

Senate Bill 24-154, also known as the Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) bill, aims to make it easier for homeowners in certain areas of Colorado to convert existing structures into additional living spaces. Starting January 1, 2025, counties outside city limits and not within high-risk wildfire zones must allow these conversions with a streamlined approval process and cannot impose strict design or size requirements on ADUs. Additionally, the bill provides funding for loans that help homeowners finance the conversion of their accessory dwelling units if they live in them themselves. The bill has been signed into law, meaning it will go into effect as planned.

Official Summary

Section 1 of the bill creates a series of requirements related to accessory dwelling units in subject jurisdictions. As established in the bill, a subject jurisdiction is the unincorporated portion of a county that is not within: A unit owners' association; or An area identified as having a high fire intensity on the fire intensity scale published as part of the Colorado state forest service wildfire risk viewer. The bill requires a subject jurisdiction to allow, on or after January 1, 2025, subject to an administrative approval process, the conversion of an accessory dwelling unit. The bill also prohibits subject jurisdictions from applying a restrictive design or dimension standard to an accessory dwelling unit. Section 2 grants the Colorado economic development commission the power to contract with the Colorado housing and finance authority for the operation of a program in which the Colorado housing and finance authority offers direct loans for the conversion of accessory dwelling units on owner-occupied land.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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