Housing mandates trade living choices for subsidized density

When discussing housing, it’s important to not lose sight of the effects of Proposition 123. The recently passed law directs hundreds of millions of dollars that would otherwise be refunded under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) towards high-density, subsidized housing starting now and moving forward...

After the local government’s baseline is set, the political jurisdiction must increase subsidized and preferred high-density housing by 3% per year, each year, to satisfy the requirements of the new mandate to get what would normally be refunded to taxpayers under TABOR.

Here’s [sic] the possible options for land locked governments, especially Denver metro, to achieve this 3% dense subsidized growth per year:

1.     Replace existing market-based housing with subsidized housing.
2.     Build higher.
3.     Increase allowable housing density...

Here’s what [is] important about HB 1190. It grants a local government or the housing authority the right of first refusal to buy a “qualifying” property if it is fifteen or more residential or mixed-use units in the urban areas and five or more in the rural parts of Colorado...

Senate Bill 23-213: Land Use

The bill has created an uproar in local government because it proposes to turn over local zoning to the state. Despite being sold as a property rights issue, the goal of the bill is to increase subsidized density. I wrote about it here.

Senate Bill 213 land-use mandate just more big government, by Natalie Menten, 5 April 2023.