Colorado has enacted a new housing law that prohibits limiting the number of people that can live in a residence. The law took effect on July 1, 2024. The justification was to reduce the cost of housing.
Detractors cautioned that the law would simply allow landlords to increase density and as a result, increase the cost per square foot they can rent their properties.
Now that the ink is dry, profiteering via AirBNB is indeed already happening in Lakewood. One listing for a 4 bedroom townhome in Lakewood indicates the residence can sleep 16 or more guests!
A 3-night stay works out to about $330/night.
Or almost $10,000/month!
So we have to ask, what will prevent the developer of the massive 777 S Yarrow Street project AKA Belmar Park West from making studio apartments available on AirBNB?
What would prevent Belmar Park West from putting studio apartments on AirBNB or VRBO that can sleep 4-6 people for $200/night or $6,000/month?
They might have to provide a couple of Murphy beds and a sofa sleeper, but they can do it!
Are we entering the new frontier of affordable housing by legalizing conditions so crowded, they used to violate health ordinances?
The gravy train is waiting for them.
Maybe they could ‘incentivize’ Lakewood to allow them to use Kountze Lake for grey water discharge and put a large aerator in the middle and call it a ‘fountain’!
If you can’t see a freight train coming at you, how are you going to get out of the way?
