03/13/2026
With Colorado being the 6th most expensive housing market in the lower 48 states, housing affordability remains one of our biggest challenges. Senate Bill 1, approved by the legislature on March 12, 2026, represents another step toward finding creative, local-driven solutions to address different aspects of our housing shortage.
Senate Bill 1 expands the tools available to local governments by giving counties greater authority and flexibility to shape how they address housing affordability in their communities. It also allows communities more control over when they hold elections to form and fund multijurisdictional housing authorities.
Here’s what you need to know:
1️⃣ Counties can now use general‑fund property tax revenue for housing.
Previously, counties did not have authority to use general‑fund property tax dollars for housing initiatives. The general fund is often their largest and most flexible funding source, typically dedicated to essential services like public safety and human services. This change gives counties a powerful new financing tool.
2️⃣ Counties and municipalities can now sell or repurpose public land for workforce housing (excluding parks) and streamline development on qualifying nonprofit-, school-, and transit‑owned land. Workforce housing supports essential workers including teachers, nurses, first responders, and service professionals who earn too much to qualify for low‑income housing but still struggle with market‑rate prices.
In essence Senate Bill 1 empowers Colorado communities to take charge of their own housing future by expanding local authority and opening new pathways for funding and land use, the bill helps communities choose the solutions that best fit their needs.
