STRESSES

FROM PAGE 13 case for new policies today, Polis harked back to changes from ve decades ago.

“ e last time Colorado made major land-use changes was in 1974 — before I, and most of you, were born,” Polis said. “We were a di erent state then.” e governor’s o ce didn’t specify to CCM more about those changes, but at least two pieces of legislation arose that year that a ected how local governments regulate how land is used. e governor and his o ce also didn’t specify what changes to zoning policy he would support or oppose. Polis has not said that he wants the state to require zoning changes in cities. Instead, the governor spoke about the state leaning in on an existing policy. e landscape of local governments’ power to a ect housing a ordability in Colorado saw a big change recently. In 2021, Polis signed state House Bill 21-1117, allowing cities to impose a ordable housing requirements on new or redeveloped projects, so long as developers or property owners have alternatives.

Polis seemed to tease at the possibility of state intervention in how local communities govern housing.

“Since issues like transportation, water, energy, and more inherently cross jurisdictional boundaries, it becomes a statewide problem that truly impacts all of us,” Polis said.

He spoke of the need for more exible zoning to allow more housing and “streamlined regulations that cut through red tape.” He touched on expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development and more building in transit-oriented communities.

“We want to lean in to allowing local governments to use tools like inclusionary zoning to help create the right mix for their community, and I think that local input in design is very important,” Polis said in a Jan. 17 news conference, following his address.

So-called “inclusionary” housing policies typically ask property developers to set aside a percentage of units in new developments for a ordable housing, although developers are given di erent options to ful ll those requirements, e Colorado Sun has reported.

For example, they could trade those for a ordable units built elsewhere, pay a fee into an a ordable housing fund, or any number of other options, the Sun reported.

It’s unclear whether Polis would support anything further than the existing allowance for cities to use inclusionary zoning.

As of late January, the governor was focused on gathering input to work with state lawmakers and develop a proposal on land-use policy. As of press deadline, no bill had been introduced.

‘Can’t expect to lose money’

Polis noted the wide gap that has opened between housing prices and people’s income over the last several decades, putting homeownership out of reach for many families.

More government spending on housing is part of the solution to a ordability, experts told CCM, including Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the nonpro t Urban Institute, based in Washington, D.C.

“Assuming that we can rely entirely on the private market to address the