An ambitious set of zoning reforms largely fell flat as developers rushed to submit project applications before new affordable housing requirements took effect.
In an article in The Denver Post, Joe Rubino describes the saga of affordable housing policy in Colorado, where a set of zoning reforms passed in 2022 seems to have yielded few new affordable units. “The sweeping package is now working its way back through the legislature in more bite-sized pieces.”
Cities in the state are making their own adjustments to housing policy to boost affordability. In Boulder, “The city increased its demands on market-rate projects in 2018, now mandating developers provide at least 25% of units as affordable housing, pay cash in lieu of construction into the city’s affordable housing fund or provide other offsets.” City officials say the cash payments let them create more affordable units through the local housing authority, which currently has 1,597 permanently affordable units — the majority of which were built with inclusionary housing funds. In Denver, developers submitted two-and-a-half times as many applications in the three months before the new rules took effect as usual, causing a backlog city officials are still working through.
While some new units have been made available for the lowest-income residents, “little housing is available to middle-income earners, driving them to the periphery of town or to other communities they have to commute from.”
FULL STORY: Boulder’s affordable housing approach was once a trailblazer. Now, Denver is catching up.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie