Capitol Close Up: March 19, 2024
BJ4C Hosting Legislative Reception Tonight
The rescheduled Building Jobs4Colorado legislative reception is set for tonight from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Please attend this reception if you are available tonight. The reception allows legislators to connect directly with Colorado construction, homebuilding and real estate industry leaders. This year’s reception is especially important since it coincides with our coalition’s efforts on construction-litigation reform and other key legislation. The reception will be in the Penthouse at 225 East 16th Avenue, Denver 80203.
The CAHB co-sponsors this reception as a member of BJ4C—a coalition of 20 building and real estate associations that work together to advocate for our industries and members on issues that impact all of our organizations. The reception is an important opportunity for HBA members to interact with legislators, giving our organizations and members an opportunity to discuss key issues facing our industry, businesses, employees and customers in a more collegial atmosphere than testifying at the capitol.
Please attend if you are available. Email jenn@domestrategies.com to RSVP or for more information about the reception.
Senate Bill 24-106 set for Vote in Senate Committee on Thursday
Senate Bill 24-106, the construction-litigation reform bill supported by our industry as part of the Homeownership Opportunity Alliance coalition, will be up for action-only on Thursday in the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee. Click here to listen to the hearing. The committee met two weeks ago for testimony. About 95 witnesses signed up to testify, with more than half of the witnesses representing the HOA coalition. The HOA coalition continues to work on amendments ahead of the committee vote while educating legislators on the importance of this legislation to addressing attainable housing across our state. Please watch for updates on this critical legislation.
GAC Update:
The GAC met last Friday and received updates on several introduced and proposed bills. The GAC took a position on 2 bills and changed position on 2 other pieces of legislation. To review a complete list of the CAHB’s legislative positions—including bills that the GAC supported, opposed and monitored—please visit https://www.statebillinfo.com/SBI/index.cfm?fuseaction=Public.Dossier&id=33775&pk=142&style=pinstripe
HB24-1370—Amend—This bill would require the Colorado Energy Office to issue a request for information by December 1, 2024, to solicit interest from local governments that are served by a dual-fuel utility in becoming a gas planning priority community—defined as a local government in which constituents have gas service provided by a dual-fuel utility that formally indicates an interest in working with the utility to explore opportunities for neighborhood-scale alternatives projects, including decommissioning of a portion of the gas distribution system or avoiding expansion of the gas distribution system in order to serve new construction projects. The CAHB lobby team will work to amend the request for information provision in the bill to require a study of the cost to homeowners for reducing or eliminating natural gas.
SB24-174—Amend—This proposal would require the Department of Local Affairs to develop methodologies for conducting statewide, regional and local housing needs assessments and reasonable guidance for a local government to identify areas at elevated risk of displacement. The bill would also require DOLA every 6 years to conduct a statewide housing needs assessment that analyzes existing and future statewide housing needs and to publish a report identifying current housing stock and estimating statewide housing needs. Among other provisions in the bill, the CAHB lobby team will work to remove a provision that allows for the fast-tracking of affordable housing projects, which would put those projects ahead of the line and cause delays for other equally important housing projects.
Position changes:
HB24-1337—Amend—This bill, as introduced, would limit the reimbursement amount to 50% of the original money owed for the collection costs, attorney fees and other costs resulting from the owner in a common interest community failing to timely pay assessments or other money owed. The CAHB lobby team is working with the bill sponsor to amend several provisions within this bill.
SB24-148—Support—This bill would allow an entity that owns, operates, or has oversight over a storm water detention and infiltration facility to divert, store or use water detained in the facility if it is approved for use as a precipitation harvesting facility, either through a substitute water supply plan or an augmentation plan.