Senate Committee Advances HOME Act to Build More Housing Now

HB26-1001 would make it easier for non-profits, schools, and transit districts to build affordable housing on their land

DENVER, CO – Today, the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee approved the Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME) Act, sponsored by Senators Tony Exum, Sr., D-Colorado Springs, and Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, which would streamline the process for many non-profits, schools, and transit districts to build affordable housing on their land. 

“Too many families in Colorado Springs are afraid of being priced out of the place they call home,” Exum said. “If we’re serious about solving the housing crisis in Colorado, we need to open up every available option to get our neighbors secure and affordable housing. The HOME Act would help our communities build the housing that is so desperately needed in our state.”

“Access to affordable and secure housing is the reason I am able to serve my community at all,” Gonzales said. “We have a housing crisis in this state, and Coloradans who work multiple jobs to make ends meet still can’t afford to buy a home and plant roots in their communities. This bill would allow community organizations more flexibility to give their neighbors that gift of stable, affordable housing.”

Beginning December 31, 2027, HB26-1001 would streamline the process for building housing by allowing non-profit organizations, housing authorities, school districts, state colleges, Board of Cooperative Educational Services, universities, and transit districts to build on their land. It would unlock centrally-located and underutilized land to build housing near job centers, transit hubs, schools, and local businesses. These residential developments could also include child care centers and facilities that provide recreational, social, or educational services to residents.

Under the HOME Act, local governments could not reject the construction of a residential development due to height, as long as the development adheres to the height standards of the zoning district or is no taller than three stories or 38 feet. Additionally, local governments may require notification to residents and accept public comments on administrative projects, ensuring that community feedback can be heard.

HB26-1001 applies to land up to five acres. Exemptions to this bill would include land that is not connected to water and sewage treatment systems, land where state or federal regulations restrict residential housing, properties zoned for industrial or agricultural use, floodplains, open space, and municipalities that have already implemented similar process standards.

In 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 123 to create and fund new housing affordability programs for low- and middle-income Coloradans. This bill would provide an additional incentive to build affordable housing by counting each unit of affordable housing built on these qualifying properties as 1.1 units, boosting eligibility for Proposition 123 funding.

A 2022 report found that removing bureaucratic barriers in the permitting process can expedite the approval process by 28-percent.

HB26-1001 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration. Track its progress here.