YIMBY Denver

At YIMBY Denver, we believe that everyone deserves access to a safe, accessible place to call home. Unfortunately, restrictive zoning laws, outdated building codes, and unfair market practices have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Coloradans.

This year, we’re proud to endorse five key bills that will help legalize housing, streamline permitting, and fix incentives to make our communities more livable, equitable, and affordable. These policies remove barriers, encourage smart growth, and protect renters. Your support can help turn these ideas into reality.

Here’s what’s at stake—and how you can get involved.

HB25-1169: Housing Developments on Faith and Education Land (Yes In God’s Back Yard)

📌 What It Does:
Allows faith-based organizations and educational institutions to build housing on underutilized land—without the red tape of expensive rezoning. The bill requires cities and towns to use a predictable, administrative review process for projects up to three stories high.

✅ Why It Matters:

• Colorado needs over 100,000 homes right now, and by 2050, 500,000 more will be needed in the Denver Metro area alone.
• Only 20% of for-sale homes are affordable for a teacher’s median salary.
• Schools and religious institutions own land that could provide housing, but restrictive zoning prevents development.

Single-Stair Bill (Smart Stair Reform)

📌 What It Does:
Allows single-stair buildings up to five stories (5,000 sq. ft. per floor), making it easier to build affordable, space-efficient multifamily housing. Current regulations require two staircases, even though modern fire suppression technology makes this requirement unnecessary.

✅ Why It Matters:

• Denver has plenty of 1-2 bedroom apartments but not enough larger, family-friendly units.
• Smart stair reform will unlock small, underutilized lots for 2-3 bedroom housing.
• The International Code Committee is expected to update these outdated standards by 2027, but Colorado can act now.

HB25-1004: No Pricing Coordination Between Landlords

📌 What It Does:
Cracks down on rent price-fixing by corporate landlords who use software (like RealPage) to set rents based on competitors’ pricing, restricting competition, and artificially inflating housing costs.

✅ Why It Matters:

• In a low-vacancy market, landlords using pricing coordination software gain an unfair advantage over renters.
• Competitive pricing ensures affordable rent for tenants and fairer market practices.
• This bill aligns with anti-trust laws to prevent corporate rent manipulation.