The HBA Advocate Newsletter | June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023

City of Denver Election Today - Voters to Decide on New Mayor and Critical City Council Races 

Today is election day for the City of Denver and the mayor’s race and council districts 8, 9 and 10 are still up in the air. In the mayor’s race, Metro Housing Coalition-endorsed candidates Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston face off for the city’s top post. Fortunately, both candidates are pro-business and have signaled strong support for housing in the city.

If you live in districts 8, 9 or 10, this is a critical runoff election. The MHC-endorsed candidate in each district is facing a Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidate. There could not be a more clear distinction between these candidates on housing policy, property rights, public safety and myriad other issues that come before City Council. These district runoffs will clearly tip the balance of Denver City Council in either direction for the next four years.

To learn more about the MHC-endorsed, please visit their web pages:

• District 8:     Brad Revare
• District 9:     Darrell Watson
• District 10:   Chris Hinds

If you haven’t done so already, please vote today and make sure your voice is heard!

HBA of Metro Denver reaches out to Aurora on proposed Prairie Dog Relocation ordinance

The HBA of Metro Denver last week shared a letter with Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Council members on the city’s proposed Prairie Dog Relocation ordinance. The ordinance draft went before the Planning & Economic Development Committee on March 8 and April 12 and was reviewed by the full council during their study session on May 15.

The draft ordinance would require mandatory relocation of prairie dogs within city limits. While the revised draft proposed on April 12 was improved from the original, several of the HBA’s active builders and developers in Aurora remain concerned over the remaining provisions. Several of the concerns shared with the city include:

• Proposed ordinance may be underestimating the difficulties associated with prairie dog relocation. While it is presumed that all of these prairie dogs will be relocated to Pueblo State Park, not long ago it was nearly impossible for developers to find an accepting jurisdiction. Since the decision to accept prairie dogs is not within a developer’s control, humane relocation and extermination measures need to be properly outlined in the ordinance in a manner that does not impede future development.
• Prohibition on the relocation (or “humane extermination”) between April 1 and June 1 comes at a pivotal time in the construction calendar and will cause significant delays that will inevitably drive-up costs.
• There is no implementation date in the draft ordinance, and this would impact permits already moving through the review process.

The HBA’s letter also noted that added delays (unintended or otherwise) associated with this ordinance would likely drive-up costs on new housing in Aurora. This is a major concern in Aurora as many residents have moderate incomes and can be adversely impacted by increasing costs to purchase a home. The letter acknowledged that the humane relocation of prairie dogs is a worthwhile policy, but also noted that solving the attainable housing crisis and reducing the cost-of-living burdens felt by Aurora residents should also be a top priority for council.

The HBA’s letter asked the city to consider postponing the implementation date until early next year to prevent any unnecessary delays as builders head into the summer construction season. The full letter can be reviewed by clicking here.

HBA raises concerns over Commerce City’s proposed impact fee increases for residential housing

On May 15, the Commerce City Council passed enabling legislation allowing significant impact fees on new homes to support the city’s police, capital improvements, public works and recreational facilities. The city will now be considering the amount of the impact fees, which could be as much as $10,415 for a single-family home and up to $7,909 for a multi-family unit. Although city staff indicated these figures were the maximum justified impact fees, staff also seemed to recommend that the maximums be implemented.

This new fee proposal comes on the heals of two new fees in Commerce City imposed just last month for transportation and stormwater. These new fees added more than $9,000 to the price of an average single-family home in some Commerce City neighborhoods. City Council also is preparing to adopt a new sprinkler mandate for single-family homes, adding even more costs to new homes in the city. All of these new mandates and fees will likely price many aspiring homeowners out of the market. The cumulative cost of the city’s new fees will likely increase new home prices by $30,000 or more per home.

The full letter to Commerce City’s mayor and council is available by clicking here.

2023 General Assembly Session Ends; CAHB Calling on Gov. Polis to Veto Two Bills; Property Tax Measures Heading to Statewide Ballot; CEO to Hold Info Sessions on Energy Code

The Colorado General Assembly concluded the first session of the 73rd General Assembly on May 8. Needless to say, it was a challenging and active session for the Colorado Association of Homebuilders lobbying team. CAHB lobbyist Rachel Lee provides an in-depth legislative recap- available by clicking here. Rachel’s document includes a review of the legislative session for CAHB that addresses GAC-position bills, other bills of interest to the state’s business climate, and the politics of the session.

Keeping reading here.

HBA of Metro Denver Issue Tracker
Questions on what is happening in a specific city or county? The HBA is regularly monitoring the council and board activities in every political subdivision in the metro Denver area. Our Issue Tracker offers a great resource to learn about the issues being deliberated with links to agendas, packets and ordinances. The HBA of Metro Denver HBA Issue Tracker is available to all members here.

HBA is looking for Members to Participate in Advocacy, Regulatory and Technical Committees in 2023

As a volunteer-driven organization, the HBA's Jobsite Safety Committee, Permitting Committee, Regulated Utilities Committee and Stormwater Management Committee help guide the HBA's events and activities throughout the year. Consider joining one, or more, if you want to build strong, long-lasting relationships and make a difference to your fellow HBA members, while sharpening your leadership skills. Please visit the HBA website for more information or reach out to Morgan Cullen if you are ready to participate.

Thank you to HBA's 2023 Organizational Partners:

Corporate Partners:

Contact Connie Dahl for more info on becoming an HBA Sponsor!