Committee Approves Housing Protections Bill for Coloradans with Disabilities

DENVER, CO – The Senate Local Government and Housing Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, and Senator Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, to protect equal housing opportunity for Coloradans with disabilities.

“After the federal government repealed existing protections for Coloradans with disabilities, we’re stepping in to reinstate those protections,” Kipp said. “Tenants who rely on service animals deserve equal access to housing, and this bill would ensure that access remains in Colorado.”

“Every Coloradan deserves equal access to housing,” Danielson said. “One of my top priorities during my time in the legislature has been to strengthen protections for Coloradans with disabilities. This bill is a continuation of that work, ensuring that those who depend on service animals do not face discriminatory barriers to housing.”

HB26-1045 would establish that it is an unfair or discriminatory housing practice to deny housing to Coloradans due to their live-in service animals. The bill would also create definitions for “assistance animal” and “emotional support animal” to provide clarity to housing providers and Coloradans with disabilities and reduce litigation.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rescinded federal guidelines that outlined the rights that people with disabilities have regarding service animals under the Fair Housing Act. These guidelines also helped landlords, property managers and tenants understand how to distinguish between service animals and Emotional Support Animals. The repeal of these guidelines has created confusion regarding the rights of Coloradans with disabilities and what reasonable accommodations housing providers must provide.

In recent years, Colorado Democrats have passed laws to bolster housing protections for Coloradans with disabilities. Colorado Democrats passed laws that save Coloradans money on accessibility modifications to rental housing and prevent unjust evictions for Coloradans who rely on safety net programs, like disability insurance. Last year, Democrats also passed a law to expand protections under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to protect vulnerable communities, especially Coloradans with disabilities, by allowing victims of discrimination to receive monetary compensation for unfair housing practices. 

HB26-1045 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.