An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can create more space for family, guests or rental income, but finding the right option can feel overwhelming. I’m Mitch Weiner with C3 Real Estate Solutions in Fort Collins and welcome to my website ColoradoBackyardHome.com. I specialize in helping Colorado property owners explore ADUs that fit their needs and budget. From connecting you with qualified builders to assisting with planning and installation, I can help guide you through each stage of the process.
(ADU) is a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a stand-alone (i.e., detached) single-family home. ADUs go by many different names throughout the U.S., including backyard homes, accessory apartments, secondary suites, and granny flats. ADUs can be converted portions of existing homes (i.e., internal ADUs), additions to new or existing homes (i.e., attached ADUs), or new stand-alone accessory structures or converted portions of existing stand-alone accessory structures (i.e., detached ADUs).
Internal, attached, and detached ADUs all have the potential to increase housing affordability (both for homeowners and tenants), create a wider range of housing options within the community, enable seniors to stay near family as they age, and facilitate better use of the existing housing fabric in established neighborhoods. Consequently, many cities and counties have signaled support for ADUs in their plans and adopted zoning regulations that permit ADUs in low-density residential areas.
Colorado’s ADU law quietly changed everything for Northern Colorado homeowners last year — most people still don’t know
Most of the conversations about housing costs in Fort Collins focuses on what you can’t control (rates, prices, inventory). But something pretty significant changed on June 30, 2025 that most homeowners missed.
HB 24-1152 now requires every city in the Larimar County area to allow one ADU on any single-family lot as a permitted use by right. No public hearings, no rezoning, just administrative approval. HOAs can no longer ban them outright either.
The practical effect: if you own a home in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley, almost anywhere in the county, you can now legally build a rental unit on your property that wasn’t possible 18 months ago.
At current NOCO rents ($1,200–$1,600/month for a 1-bed), that’s a 30–60% reduction in your effective mortgage payment.
