Aurora's current short-term rental rule in Aurora City Code 146-3.3.6 limits short-term rental of an ADU to property owners who are living in the primary dwelling - effectively an owner-occupancy condition tied to STR use. Long-term rental of an ADU does not require owner occupancy under the existing code. Colorado HB24-1152, operative June 30, 2025, preempts owner-occupancy requirements on ADUs in subject jurisdictions like Aurora; the city is amending the UDO to comply.
Aurora's UDO 146-3.3.6 paragraph on accessory dwelling units includes the rule that an ADU may be used as a short-term rental only when the property owner is living in the primary structure on the property. This is a use-based owner-occupancy condition rather than a flat ownership mandate. For straight long-term rental (leases of 30+ days), Aurora does not require the owner to live on the lot. Colorado HB24-1152 (codified at C.R.S. 29-32-101 through 109, effective June 30, 2025) explicitly prohibits subject jurisdictions from imposing owner-occupancy requirements as a condition of building or operating an ADU. Aurora falls within the DRCOG MPO and qualifies as a subject jurisdiction. The Engage Aurora UDO update is drafting code changes to remove the owner-occupancy STR conditioning, expand ADU configurations beyond detached-only, and align with the administrative review and parking-minimum prohibitions in HB24-1152. Until the amendment is adopted, Aurora applies the existing rule but may not enforce it where it conflicts with state law. Deed restrictions are not currently recorded with ADU permits.
Renting an ADU as a short-term rental without occupying the primary dwelling is a violation of UDO 146-3.3.6 prosecuted in Aurora Municipal Court with fines up to $2,650 per day under Aurora City Code 1-13. Code Enforcement uses Airbnb and Vrbo listing data, neighbor complaints, and short-term rental license records to identify violations. Long-term rental without owner occupancy is permitted and not enforced.
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See how Aurora's adu owner occupancy rules stack up against other locations.
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