Tish has always loved living close to family — so close, in fact, that her family has long shared the same home. For years, Tish, her daughter, and her mother lived together in their Westwood home, supporting one another through different stages of life. Their roots in Denver run deep. As a seventh-generation Denver resident, Tish never wanted to leave the city she loved.
“We were thinking of possibly selling our home and finding something a little bit bigger, but the way prices are in Denver… we did not want to leave. We like our lot, we love our location,” said Tish.
As Denver’s housing costs continued to rise, Tish found herself facing a question shared by many families: how do you create more space and long-term financial stability without leaving your community behind?
The answer began with a simple question from her mother. Looking out the back window of their home, she would often ask, “Why don’t you build me a little house back there?” At the time, building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) involved significant hurdles. But when statewide legislation in 2024 gave homeowners greater freedom to build ADUs and create more affordable housing opportunities, Tish saw a path forward.
She began reaching out to her local city council members, but a serendipitous encounter was what she needed to turn the possibility into a reality. While attending the Westwood Chile Festival, Tish stopped by a Denver Housing Authority (DHA) booth, learned about the Single Family+ ADU Program, and later submitted an application that helped set the project in motion.
Designed to help make innovative housing solutions more accessible, Habitat Metro Denver is the construction partner for the program, working alongside DHA to support residents through the planning, financing, and construction of ADUs.
Tish now lives in her new ADU while her daughter, son-in-law, and their baby live in the main home. The arrangement gave them all something invaluable: space. “We are making the most of our space… we don’t feel cramped,” said Tish.
Even more, the family remains close enough to be an active part of one another’s daily lives. Tish is able to help take care of her new granddaughter, only a few steps away. “I’m right in the backyard. They can call me and ask for help, and I can say, ‘Yes, I absolutely can.’ It’s a dream,” said Tish.
That’s what makes the ADU model so powerful – it expands access to homeownership opportunities that allow families to stay together, maintain their own space, and create stability for the future.
“When my time comes, when I pass, they have the generational wealth, they have this unit to rent,” said Tish.
By partnering with homeowners to create additional housing on existing lots, the SF+ ADU Program offers a pathway toward affordability, housing stability, and generational wealth-building.
“My home has always meant family. And now, it means that we can have even more family. We can truly put down our roots. The fact that there’s passive income here forever… it’s amazing. We are secure now.”
– Tish, Habitat ADU Homeowner
For Tish, the experience also reinforced the importance of community and partnership. Throughout the planning and construction process, she felt supported every step of the way. “There was great communication throughout the whole process. I felt very comfortable, even when I was nervous,” she said.
A bonus: her ADU was completed on her birthday. “Habitat got it done on my birthday… it was a beautiful present. I feel so darn fortunate. Everything fell into place,” said Tish.
Looking back on the journey, Tish sees the ADU as much more than a second home on her property. It represents family, stability, and the ability to remain rooted in the community she has called home.
