Oil and gas deal, gun reform bills advance; rent reform fails and more from the Colorado legislature this week

Both approaches on construction defects reform appear headed for early deaths Two bills to address construction defects appear destined to doom in the final days of the legislative session. Senate Bill 106 was aimed at creating a middle ground between lawsuits and the chance for builders to remedy problems in condo and home construction, with … Read more

Colorado land-use bills advance as lawmakers hope to avert new failure

At this time last year, Colorado lawmakers were preparing to gut Gov. Jared Polis’ massive and marquee land-use bill that would have reshaped zoning across the state, spurring a stalemate that preceded the proposal’s death. Now, after reviving most of that proposal in smaller pieces as part of a new strategy, reform supporters see a … Read more

Colorado voters split on compassion or rejection for migrants, poll says

Concerns about immigration, fueled by the ongoing migrant crisis, are at the forefront of many Colorado voters’ minds, a new poll says. But voters are split on how local officials should respond to the waves of new arrivals from the southern U.S. border. Thirty-one percent of likely voters in a poll conducted last month for … Read more

Colorado lawmakers’ push for more high-density housing irks cities

Colorado cities are ready for a legal fight if necessary to stop a state push to overhaul local housing density rules and allow more tightly packed development along train and bus routes. While many local governments support the goal of concentrating people in apartments around transit hubs so they drive less, mayors have objected to … Read more

Denver, Boulder require new development to contribute to affordable housing

When Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic allies sought to overhaul land use rules in the state last year in hopes of spurring more housing development they faced immediate blowback from municipalities intent on protecting their local control. Seeking housing solutions From the mountains to the prairies, Colorado’s housing crisis is squeezing state residents in ways … Read more

Colorado lawmakers seek to ban parking requirements to spur housing

For years, minimum parking requirements in urban areas have served as a white whale for some in Colorado’s coalition of housing advocates and land-use reformers. They’ve looked at those vast seas of concrete and asphalt with a combination of distaste and a desire for what those spaces otherwise could be used for. Instead of more … Read more

Douglas County sues state board over property valuation changes denial

Douglas County this week sued a state board in charge of evaluating property assessments, claiming officials overstepped their authority and wrongfully stopped the county from providing substantial tax relief to thousands of homeowners. Last month’s board decision and the appeal to a judge to step in come amid a fierce statewide debate over how to … Read more

The Rock Church sues Castle Rock challenging ban on sheltering homeless in RVs

“Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.” That passage from Isaiah 58:7 was invoked by the Rock Church in a lawsuit it filed against Castle Rock last week as part of an attempt to overturn the town’s decision to bar the evangelical church from providing temporary shelter to homeless people … Read more

Lakewood apartment project at edge of Belmar Park faces opposition

A raft of ducks perched and waddled on the frozen surface of a pond at Belmar Park on a recent fall morning — foreground bustle for a double-crested cormorant rookery located on a small island just offshore. This 132-acre park in the middle of Lakewood, Colorado’s fifth-largest city, is tagged as a “hotspot” on eBird.com, … Read more

Colorado poll finds housing affordability, crime are top concerns

A majority of Colorado voters say home ownership is only going to become less attainable, voicing broad concerns about the cost of living and the state’s broader affordability, according to results from a bipartisan poll released Tuesday. The poll, conducted for the Colorado Polling Institute Nov. 26-27 by a team of pollsters, also found a … Read more