Colorado passed essential reforms to make it easier to build housing in the 2024 legislative session, including:
- Partial elimination of parking minimums
- Allowing ADUs by right across much of the state
- Outlawing most city occupancy limits
- Requiring cities to set goals for Transit Oriented Development
Despite this progress, most experts believe further reform to city zoning and land use laws will be necessary if Denver and Colorado want to truly address the shortfall in housing supply that underpins our high housing costs and high rates of homelessness.
So, it's time to focus on what's next at the state and city levels. We know we must play the long game to achieve the goal of housing for all, and enabling a big tent with diverse voices is the best way to do this.
We will ask some of the area's leading elected officials what they see as the most significant reforms to implement next at the city and state levels. Questions like:
- Will the state or the city of Denver move forward with allowing six or more units on every lot to address the missing middle and reduce the displacement that happens when development concentrates on limited parts of the city?
- Will the state or the city of Denver independently move forward on single-stair building code reforms, as many cities worldwide have done?
- Is it time for Denver to eliminate parking minimums?
- What opportunities exist to dramatically simplify Denver's zoning code, allowing housing to be built in areas currently zoned for retail and local retail in areas where it is not currently allowed?
- Is "YIGBY" on anyone's radar?
- Should Colorado implement a revolving loan fund to provide mezzanine loans to construction projects that would reduce builders' cost of capital, as Montgomery County in Maryland has done?
This panel promises to be a fascinating discussion and a must-attend for anyone who wants insights into the future of housing policy in Colorado and Denver.
Childcare will be available—please email [email protected] if you are interested. Spanish language translation will also be provided.
