Progress report finds many local governments taking action to meet state land use laws
Contact:
Matt Frommer, SWEEP | mfro...@swenergy.org
[DENVER, CO] – June 30 marked a major compliance deadline for a package of housing and land use laws adopted by the Colorado Legislature in 2024. In response, local governments across the state have updated their codes to enable more homebuilding, diversify housing choices, and reduce costs. The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)’s new pro-housing and smart growth initiative, Housing Forward Colorado (HFC), published an updated report detailing the progress of cities, towns, and counties in meeting these state requirements:
Colorado Land Use Progress Report – July 2025
The report’s findings are encouraging for those concerned about housing costs in Colorado. Many local governments are taking steps to align local codes with the state laws. In some cases, they are going beyond the minimum legislative requirements to allow for an even greater number and diversity of housing types. Because these laws serve as a policy floor rather than a ceiling, local code updates have been as wide-ranging and diverse as the communities themselves.
June 30 was the deadline for cities to comply with two laws: HB24-1152 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and HB24-1304 (Minimum Parking Requirements). Preliminary reports for HB24-1313 (Housing in Transit-Oriented Communities) were also due that day, though full compliance takes effect at the end of 2026. HFC’s progress report also tracks local responses to HB24-1007 (Prohibiting Residential Occupancy Limits), effective since July 2024, and SB24-174 (Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance), which has deadlines extending into 2028 and beyond.
Housing Forward Colorado found that more than 3 million Coloradans live in communities that recently updated their local codes in response to HB24-1152 to make ADUs legal and easy to build. More than 1.8 million Coloradans now live in communities that have recently removed or are in the process of removing minimum parking requirements for multifamily housing to comply with HB24-1304.
“This report is a meticulous compilation of actions taken by local governments in response to Colorado’s landmark housing and land use legislation from the past year,” said Matt Frommer, SWEEP’s Transportation and Land Use Policy Manager. “It demonstrates that cities and counties of all sizes and urban or suburban contexts can implement state laws in ways that meet their communities’ unique needs – collective action that’s essential to solving our statewide housing, climate, and transportation challenges.”
The 2024 land use laws were passed in response to Colorado’s housing affordability crisis, caused by years of underproduction. The state is roughly 105,000 homes short of a stable housing market. State demographers expect Colorado to add another 1.5 million people by 2050, growing to a population of more than 7.5 million – with most of that growth concentrated along the Front Range. This shortage drives affordability challenges, as limited housing supply leads to intense competition and rising prices. According to a Zoning Atlas analysis of American Community Survey data, Colorado has the fifth highest home prices and third highest rent in the country.
More housing options near transit, jobs, schools, and other destinations – a primary goal of the laws – will reduce pressure to sprawl into open spaces and natural lands. This type of “smart growth” within existing neighborhoods results in shorter commutes, less pollution, lower land and water consumption, and more affordable homes for everyone.
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Housing Forward Colorado (HFC) is a project of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable policies across the Southwestern US. In spring 2025, SWEEP launched HFC to advance pro-housing and smart growth policies and support the effective implementation of the 2024 state land use laws. housingforwardco.org
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