Buying a house is tough enough, but finding housing that’s affordable is even harder — one solution people are trying out is the “casita.”
It’s a smaller house that can fit in a backyard.
“I think it’s a good house for people that cannot afford to live in a big house,” said Varo Ramirez, a general contractor, who built a casita on his property for his mom rather than buying a new house.
After Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB2720 , also known as the “casita law,” which allows accessory dwelling units (ADU) to be built on existing property zoned for a single-family home, it became easier for homeowners to get a permit to build a casita on their property.
Urban Infill Project co-founder Valerie Lane noticed the growth in demand for casitas first-hand.
“To sell nineteen of these floor plans in just one year, I mean, that in itself is a sign that people just were lacking the tools that they needed,” Lane said.