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DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed two bills that would improve transparency and disclosure requirements of metro districts and expand housing application savings and protections for Colorado renters.
“Millions of Coloradans live in a metro district, and they deserve to have access to necessary information so they know how they can pursue an issue regarding their property,” said Rep. Jacque Phillips, D-Thornton, sponsor of HB25-1219. “The goal of this legislation is to make information about metro districts, like additional costs, more accessible so Coloradans have this important information on hand before making one of the biggest investments of their lives. This transparency will allow Coloradans to be well-informed so they can better engage with the metro district board and their neighbors.”
HB25-1219, also sponsored by Rep. Carlos Barron, R-Fort Lupton, passed by a vote of 11-0. It would improve the transparency and accountability of metro districts for residents and prospective homebuyers. Currently, metro districts are required to hold annual meetings to share financial information with residents and answer questions. This bill would also strengthen notice requirements for annual meetings to improve resident awareness and participation. If the meeting is held at a physical location, the bill requires nomination forms for open board positions to be made available to reduce barriers for residents interested in pursuing a board position and playing an active role in the governance of the district.
The metro district’s website would also be required to include information, including the details of when and where the annual meeting is going to take place, the services the metro district provides, and the information on how residents may get in touch with the district. Districts would be required to establish a system or process for residents to contact district personnel to address time-sensitive concerns outside of normal working hours.
HB25-1219 would also require additional disclosures regarding metro districts to homebuyers in real estate transactions, including an estimate of the dollar amount of property taxes levied on the property by the district for the year in which the sale occurs.
“If someone qualifies for a housing subsidy, they have already demonstrated the need for housing support and they should not be ineligible for the reusable tenant screening reports, especially if they were a victim of financial abuse,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB25-1236. “We passed a law in 2023 that allows prospective renters to reuse a standardized rental application to cut down on repetitive fees and save Coloradans money. This legislation would harmonize existing laws to better serve housing subsidy recipients so they can also benefit from these cost-saving housing applications and better qualify for safe housing.”
HB25-1236, which passed by a vote of 8-4, specifies that a prospective renter who receives a housing subsidy cannot be required to include a credit history report, a credit score, or an adverse credit event in their tenant screening reports. The bill specifies that an adverse credit event includes past late rent payments and collections.
The bill removes a requirement that reports received by landlords from tenants be made directly available by reporting agencies, creating more options for providing this information. It also expands the number of days that a prospective renter can reuse a rental application from 30 days to 60 days.
Colorado Democrats passed a law in 2023 that allows prospective renters to reuse a rental application for up to 30 days without paying additional fees. Additionally, the law minimizes the number of times a credit score is pulled, protecting a potential renter’s credit score from being continuously damaged from credit score inquiries.