DRAPER, Utah (KUTV) — The Draper City Council is rewriting their local rules to help address Utah’s housing and affordability crisis.
In mid-November, the council joined a growing list of Wasatch Front cities changing restrictions on accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. The city council voted to change its ordinance to expand ADU access.
“I love the wildlife and you just can’t beat these views,” said Draper resident Victoria Neeshan, who has lived in her dream home since 2010.
After a recent layoff, Neeshan decided to rent out her basement to help cover bills.
“I had six months of savings, as most people do, six months or less, and my savings have run out,” she said.
After listing her basement for rent, the city cited her, saying that ADU rentals are not allowed in her area.
“I was terrified,” Neeshan said. “I turned to my husband and said, ‘Okay, we’re going to lose this house, I’m going to lose my dream house.’”
That changed Tuesday night when Draper passed a new ordinance allowing homeowners to occupy the main dwelling and rent out a basement or ADU.
The ordinance also reduces the lot size requirement for an external ADU from 20,000 square feet to 6,000 square feet.
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“We have this housing crisis that we’re all dealing with,” Draper Mayor Troy Walker said, describing ADUs as a valuable tool to help ease housing costs.
He emphasized that ADUs provide residents, like Neeshan, more control over their properties.
When asked about residents opposed to the changes, Walker said, “It’s the price of growth, it’s the price of this housing situation.”
Walker noted that the push for additional housing options is coming from state lawmakers.
“It was not organic by cities by any stretch,” he said. “No cities would have probably come up with it, the concept; it was definitely something we were helped to discover.”
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