RELEASE: Committee Hears Testimony on Moreno’s Landmark Bill to Cut Red Tape, Create More Housing Options Coloradans Can Afford
SB23-213 will implement a comprehensive plan to help create more housing now for every Colorado budget
DENVER, CO – Lawmakers on the Senate Local Government & Housing Committee today heard testimony on Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno’s, D-Commerce City, bill to cut red tape and create more housing options now that Colorado families can afford.
SB23-213 was heard for testimony only, and laid over for further action at a future hearing. Lawmakers listened to more than 250 Coloradans including families, local officials, and housing, climate, and transit advocates who spoke about how the bill - and the improved access to affordable housing it will create - will impact them.
“Every Coloradan deserves a safe and affordable place to live, and this proposal will create a smart, holistic approach to expand the menu of housing options families and communities are able to choose from,” said Moreno. “We heard lots of useful feedback on these ideas today, and I was encouraged to see the level of enthusiasm around this transformative policy. I am committed to addressing concerns stakeholders may have and finding a balance that works across Colorado. But one thing remains clear: working Coloradans are tired of being priced out of where they live, and we’re going to continue fighting to cut red tape and expand our housing supply so that Colorado families have a place to call home.”
SB23-213 is a comprehensive plan that establishes a framework for more housing in municipalities while providing flexibility for local leaders to implement standards that meet their community's needs. The proposal establishes ways for the state and local communities to work together to develop strategies to meet Colorado’s housing goals more broadly and to avoid regional imbalances in housing production.
The proposal also includes opportunities for local communities to implement solutions that address unique circumstances and build on prior local efforts that address housing abundance and affordability. By creating more housing supply, this proposal will lead to increases in home options for every budget so that Coloradans can live in the communities they want, without being priced out. The plan also helps improve air quality, protect open space, conserve water and plan for future growth while helping prevent displacement.
The plan outlines goals to create more housing now including:
Legalizing the ability to build more affordable housing types like ADUs, duplexes, triplexes, or townhomes.
Incentivizing more multifamily housing in or near transit-oriented and walkable communities to lessen the number of cars on the road, improving air quality, reducing pollution, and saving people money on commutes.
Cutting red tape and reducing building limitations to decrease building time and cost and giving more options and flexibility for homeowners to build on their land.
Assessing statewide housing needs and identifying affordability strategies tailored to local and regional needs. The bill will provide a framework for state, regional, and local agencies to strategically align investments and policies and track progress.
Constructing more homes and creating jobs by eliminating arbitrary laws that prevent property owners from building the housing units local communities need.
SB23-213 is supported by Healthier Colorado, Healthy Air and Water Colorado, Centennial State Prosperity, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Boulder Progressives, Bedrooms are for People, YIMBY Denver, YIMBY Fort Collins, Rocky Mountain NAACP, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, the Colorado Education Association, ProgressNow Colorado, Colorado Builds Better, Good Business Colorado, and the Colorado Hospital Association, among others.
Track SB23-213’s progress HERE.