Bill to Improve Access to Rental Housing for Coloradans With Disabilities Clears Senate

Danielson: “This bill ensures tenants can make modifications to rental properties that allow them to safely enjoy their homes”

DENVER, CO – Today the Senate approved Senator Jessie Danielson’s, D-Wheat Ridge, legislation to improve access to rental housing for Coloradans with disabilities.

“Coloradans with disabilities face unnecessary barriers in many areas of day-to-day life, including finding accessible housing,” said Danielson. “This bill ensures tenants can make modifications to rental properties that allow them to safely enjoy their homes, and will increase the number of accessible housing units available across the state.”

Under Colorado law, it is illegal to discriminate against a renter because they have a disability, including refusing to make or allow reasonable modifications to a unit to accommodate a disability. However, currently landlords are able to contingently allow a tenant to make modifications to a property on the condition that the tenant restores the property to its previous state at the end of their lease.

HB24-1318 would repeal a landlord’s ability to conditionally allow reasonable modifications, instead requiring landlords to permit accommodations that would ensure full enjoyment of the premises, without placing the burden on the tenant of restoring a property to its former state.

Examples of reasonable modifications may include: installing grab bars or handrails, installing an eyehole in a door for a resident with a hearing disability, and installing a ramp outside a property that would otherwise be inaccessible for a renter with a mobility disability.

HB24-1318 now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Follow its progress HERE.