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April 5, 2023

Lindstedt, Dickson Bill to Eliminate Growth Caps Passes Committee

DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation to eliminate arbitrary caps on housing development that drive up costs for families in order to save people money on housing, improve our environment and increase our housing supply. The bill passed by a vote of 9-2.


Anti-growth laws in some communities hinder Colorado’s bold efforts to address our crushing housing shortage and accommodate rapidly growing communities throughout the state,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield. Housing that is affordable for Coloradans of all incomes is becoming increasingly difficult to find. As a former city councilor, I know how growth caps increase demands on neighboring communities, especially for critical services like education, water, and police and fire. By eliminating arbitrary growth caps, we can increase our housing supply, reduce our carbon footprint, and protect hardworking Coloradans from these exclusionary measures.”


“Smart housing plans save Coloradans money, limit air pollution, and support a thriving workforce,” said Rep. Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial. “Arbitrary housing growth caps imposed by a handful of jurisdictions impact the entire state. These caps reduce housing options close to where Coloradans work-- forcing sprawl, air pollution, and long commutes. This bill will create good jobs, support local businesses, and drive down costs for Colorado families.”


HB23-1255 would prevent local governments from enacting and enforcing housing growth restrictions that limit housing development to a certain number of building permits or approvals without a transparent process and fair consideration of a proposal’s merits. Under the bill, local governments would not be required to accept any specific developments or projects, but they would not be able to reject a proposal simply due to an arbitrary growth cap. There are exceptions in cases of a declared disaster emergency.


This bill was introduced alongside SB23-213 in March 2023 with Governor Jared Polis, climate champions, local government officials, economic development organizations, labor groups, and housing affordability advocates to announce Colorado’s plan to address the statewide housing crisis. The bills aim to create more housing supply for every budget so Coloradans can afford to stay in their communities without being priced out. These policies also improve air quality, protect open space, conserve water, create jobs and help local communities plan for future growth.

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