At YIMBY Denver, we believe that everyone deserves access to a safe, accessible place to call home. Unfortunately, restrictive zoning laws, outdated building codes, and unfair market practices have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Coloradans.
This year, we’re proud to endorse five key bills that will help legalize housing, streamline permitting, and fix incentives to make our communities more livable, equitable, and affordable. These policies remove barriers, encourage smart growth, and protect renters. Your support can help turn these ideas into reality.
Here’s what’s at stake—and how you can get involved.
HB25-1169: Housing Developments on Faith and Education Land (Yes In God’s Back Yard)
📌 What It Does:
Allows faith-based organizations and educational institutions to build housing on underutilized land—without the red tape of expensive rezoning. The bill requires cities and towns to use a predictable, administrative review process for projects up to three stories high.
✅ Why It Matters:
- Colorado needs over 100,000 homes right now, and by 2050, 500,000 more will be needed in the Denver Metro area alone.
- Only 20% of for-sale homes are affordable for a teacher’s median salary.
- Schools and religious institutions own land that could provide housing, but restrictive zoning prevents development.
Single-Stair Bill (Smart Stair Reform)
📌 What It Does:
Allows single-stair buildings up to five stories (5,000 sq. ft. per floor), making it easier to build affordable, space-efficient multifamily housing. Current regulations require two staircases, even though modern fire suppression technology makes this requirement unnecessary.
✅ Why It Matters:
- Denver has plenty of 1-2 bedroom apartments but not enough larger, family-friendly units.
- Smart stair reform will unlock small, underutilized lots for 2-3 bedroom housing.
- The International Code Committee is expected to update these outdated standards by 2027, but Colorado can act now.
HB25-1004: No Pricing Coordination Between Landlords
📌 What It Does:
Cracks down on rent price-fixing by corporate landlords who use software (like RealPage) to set rents based on competitors’ pricing, restricting competition, and artificially inflating housing costs.
✅ Why It Matters:
- In a low-vacancy market, landlords using pricing coordination software gain an unfair advantage over renters.
- Competitive pricing ensures affordable rent for tenants and fairer market practices.
- This bill aligns with anti-trust laws to prevent corporate rent manipulation.
HB25-1093: Limitations on Local Anti-Growth Land Use Policies
📌 What It Does:
Prevents cities from reducing residential density unless they increase density elsewhere in the municipality. This stops anti-growth policies that limit new housing supply and drive up rent.
✅ Why It Matters:
- Restrictive zoning worsens the housing crisis by limiting the number of homes that can be built.
- More housing supply means lower rents and more affordable homeownership opportunities.
HB25-1211: Tap Fees Imposed by Special Districts
📌 What It Does:
Ensures local water boards cannot deny service if capacity exists and keeps tap fees reasonable, preventing excessive costs from stalling housing construction.
✅ Why It Matters:
- Water tap fees are often used as a hidden barrier to block new development.
- High tap fees inflate construction costs, making new housing even less affordable.
Ready to Make a Difference? Here’s How You Can Help!
📢 Your support is crucial! Here’s how you can take action today:
✅ Join us! Become a member of YIMBY Denver to stay informed and take part in our advocacy efforts. Sign up here → https://yimbydenver.org/join/
✅ Speak up! Contact your legislators and urge them to support these critical housing bills. Find your representatives here → https://leg.colorado.gov/FindMyLegislator.
✅ Spread the word! Share this blog post on social media and with friends and family. More awareness = more impact!
🏠 Together, we can build a Colorado where housing is accessible, affordable, and abundant. Let’s make it happen!