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DENVER — It's no secret, rent in Colorado isn't cheap. Many people seek out a roommate just to cover the cost of living. However, sometimes roommates have major disagreements. One major point of contention often involves the use of marijuana in the home.
"If I want to smoke a lot of weed I don’t think that’s an issue," said Damion Green.
Finding roommates with his mentality hasn't been easy for Green.
"I’ve been through hell with people. People who insist you smoke outside, people that freak out about paraphernalia sitting around," Green says of his issues with prior roommates.
That's why Angeliki Gousetis created 420 Friendly Apartments — a Facebook group connecting fellow marijuana smokers who are looking for roommates with similar interests.
The group doesn't find a place to rent. Dan Garfield, an attorney who specializes in cannabis law, says "it’s just as difficult to find a weed-friendly landlord as it is to find a tobacco-friendly landlord." And if you do find one, Garfield says, Be prepared to pay a larger security deposit."
"There’s no worry that I’m a professional and because I’m in finance, I can’t be 420-friendly, so if, God forbid, somebody sees me, I have to hide myself. There’s no hiding. Just be yourself," said Gousetis, a New York realtor.
She started the same group in New York before creating one in Denver over the summer. More than 3,000 people have already joined, including Green, who posted to the group he was in need of a place to live. He says within a matter of days, he found his new roommates.
Gousetis says she's helped connect people in 25 states. She calls them bud-mates. The group is free to use. Because of the early popularity, Gousetis created two more groups in Boulder and Colorado Springs.