Motion from ZAP

At the 2/27/2021 ZAP meeting after an update from Ean Tafoya on the Expanding AffordabilityAdvisory Committee — a CPD working group that is exploring what Denver could do to require more affordable housing in market rate projects if the State gives cities the ability to have affordable requirements in rental projects — the following motion was made and passed (18 for,5 against, with 3 noted abstentions) for referral to the Delegates:

I move that INC support House Bill 21-1117.

At the 3/8/2021 INC Executive Committee meeting, the Board reviewed this proposed INC position and recommends that the Delegation amend and approve this motion, to make clear the purpose of INC’s support, and to make clear that we have not reviewed or debated the specific text of the legislation but are endorsing its general intention:

INC supports the intention of Colorado House Bill21-1117 to give more latitude to cities and counties to be able to set affordability requirements on all new housing developments.

At the 3/13 Delegates meeting, ZAP will bring forward the motion above and a Board member will move to amend the motion to read as above (which will require a vote), and then we will move to a vote on the amended motion.

Background information

bill clarifies that the existing authority of cities and counties to plan for and regulate the use of land includes the authority to regulate development or redevelopment in order to promote the construction of new affordable housing units. The provisions of the state’s rent control statute do not apply to any land use regulation that restricts rents on newly constructed or redeveloped housing units as long as the regulation provides a choice of options to the property owner or land developer and creates one or more alternatives to the construction of new affordable housing units on the building site.

If this bill passes, Denver will have more ability to work with the community to come up with anew approach to requiring housing affordability in rental projects, which it has not been able to do since the “Telluride” decision. INC already has a “seat at the table” for Denver’s work and,should this pass, we will be able to ensure broad neighborhood and community input to any proposed regulations.

Here are two good resources to learn more about this topic:
●https://youtu.be/1Bc1Mfzx1Y0
●https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb21-1117