FAQ Coalition Archives - Colorado Homes for All

What is the difference between repealing the ban on rent control, the Telluride Decision, and HB21-1117?

Colorado ban on rent control 1981: “The general assembly finds and declares that the imposition of rent control on private residential housing units is a matter of statewide concern; therefore, no county or municipality may enact any ordinance or resolution that would control rent on either private residential property or a private residential housing unit”. https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2016/title-38/tenants-and-landlords/article-12/part-3/section-38-12-301

Telluride decision: The city of Telluride was sued by developers and this case law is found in Town of Telluride v. THIRTY-FOUR VENTURE in 2000. The Supreme Court of Colorado ruled that requiring developers to set aside a portion of units that would be rented at below-market-rate in new projects is illegal. It is considered a form of rent control that was banned by the state legislature in 1981. You can view that language HERE.

HB21-1117: Local Government Authority Promote Affordable Housing Units. The Act clarifies the authority of cities and counties to plan and regulate the use of land in order to promote the construction of affordable housing units; it creates one or more alternatives to the construction of affordable housing. It is stated in Section 2, subsection (e.5) (1) that this is NOT a form of rent control. https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2021a_1117_signed.pdf

Does rent stabilization actually work?

Yes! There has been a significant amount of research done showing how rent stabilization policies support communities and do not actually contribute to overall rising rent costs, as some may think. Here are some resources:

Human Impact Report: Stable Homes, Healthy Communities: How rent stabilization will support a healthy Colorado
Policy Link Report: Our Homes, Our Future: How Rent Control Can Build Stable, Healthy Communities
Urban Habitat Report: Strengthening Communities through Rent Control and Just-Cause Evictions. Case studies from Berkeley, Santa Monica, and Richmond

What is Colorado Homes for All attempting to accomplish?

Colorado Homes for All has 3 policy priorities:

Repeal the Colorado ban on rent stabilization: Work to ensure that local governments have the ability to effectively address housing issues in their communities by removing the statewide ban on local solutions such as rent stabilization.

Pass local rent stabilization policies: Build healthy and livable local communities through passing city and/or county ordinances that ensure tenants have predictable and reasonable rents.

Requiring a Just Cause for Evictions: Ensure people can stay in their homes by requiring real just cause for evictions. Promote stable communities where tenants can grow roots by requiring landlords to have serious and concrete grounds in order to evict.

Colorado Homes for All (COHFA)