DENVER (KDPR) – Governor Jared Polis took executive action on Monday in hopes of pushing more housing construction across Colorado.
The move comes after the governor's important proposal to create more housing across Colorado failed to get out of the Capitol last term.
said Polis the implementing regulation it's about making sure Colorado uses the resources it has to build more housing quickly.
“There are things we can do to create more housing faster, and that's what today's executive order is about,” Polis said at a press conference marking the signing of the order.
The Polis Housing Code strives for speed
The governor's six-page ordinance takes some important steps to cut some of the bureaucracy that's holding back housing production across the state.
The first step is to get the Department of Local Affairs to provide grants more quickly.
“This measure helps address this issue by ensuring that the government portion of it, which is generally government-funded grants and loans for housing projects, is implemented more quickly,” Polis said. “We will move from the average processing time of 240 days for loans under this executive order to a processing time of 90 days. And we are very happy to have the money available sooner.”
Government agencies also need to assess their inventory and help non-profit organizations and local governments fund housing projects.
“Relevant government agencies – and that's the Department of Energy, Department of Economic Development, Transportation, Natural Resources, Local Affairs, Public Health and Environment, and Human Resources and Management – really need to evaluate everything they do that affects housing: grants, Policies, plans, procedures, rules, including the use of state lands – so that they support local and regional governments and non-profit organizations,” Polis said.
And next summer, in July 2024, the state housing department must have its contracts drafted and executed within three months.
“The executive order also directs the Department of Local Affairs and the Housing Department to draft and execute their grant and loan contracts within 90 days,” Polis said.
Polis attempted to pass a comprehensive land use law that would allow residential development, such as B. semi-detached houses, would have made possible by removing building restrictions, which would not be possible without changing the existing state laws. This regulation will not do that either, but it aims to uphold some of the other priorities of this measure, such as the development of housing close to transport links and housing that is consistent with water and air quality objectives.
The governor said affordable housing is the primary goal of the new regulation, especially as Proposition 123 resources soon come into play. Polis said the state is doing what it can with what it has.
The governor said the state needs to lead by example on housing construction and local governments need a roadmap to follow.
“If we're going to join the conversations about how to address housing barriers at the local level, we should show that the state is doing everything in our power to get money out quickly and align housing with our quality of life goals and reduce traffic.” .”, water conservation and others,” Polis said.
The order will remain in effect unless modified or rescinded by a future order of the Governor.
