Capitol Connection: April 26, 2019
Senate Bill 19-107: Broadband Infrastructure Installation
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SB19-107, sponsored by Sen. Kerry Donovan (D-Vail) and Sen. Dylan Roberts (D-Avon), authorizes an electric utility that has an electric easement on real property or a commercial broadband supplier designated by the electric utility to act on the electric utility’s behalf, after having provided advanced notice to the owner of the real property and to any interest holder in the real property that has requested notice, to install, maintain or own a broadband facility within the electric easement or to lease any excess capacity of such facility to a commercial broadband supplier.
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CAR’s Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) strongly supports the efforts of the state to expand broadband access, especially in our rural or underserved areas. However, CAR is neutral on the bill and continues to work diligently to ensure that this legislation is continues to be mindful of protecting the rights of private property owners.
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In fact, CAR worked with several stakeholders and the bill sponsors to amend the bill to add adequate notice protections before entering onto property in connection with construction of commercial broadband. The amendment also allows property owners to seek remedy of any damage or injury to property incurred as a result of negligence by a broadband supplier through the court process. CAR is happy to announce the amended bill passed out of the Senate chamber and will be heard today in the House in the Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee.
Update: House Bill 19-1006: Wildfire Mitigation Wildland-Urban Interface Areas
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HB19-1006, sponsored by Rep. Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango), Rep. Terri Carver (R-Colorado Springs) and Sen. Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora), creates a state grant program to fund proactive forest management and fuel reduction projects to reduce the impacts of wildfires to life, property and critical infrastructure.
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After amendments, the bill appropriates one million dollars to the Department of Higher Education for allocation to the State Forest Service at Colorado State University (CSU) to fund forest management and fuel reduction projects from homeowners whose property is located within a community wildfire protection plan.
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The LPC supports this legislation because the transfer of funding to the grant program enables homeowners and communities together to tackle forest management and fuels reduction projects that reduce the life-threatening and destructive impacts caused to life, property and infrastructure each year. This is an important step to lessen the devastating impact of wildfires and equip our communities with the tools and resources necessary to give residents more adequate risk mitigation funding to protect private property and the lives of our Colorado families and hardworking firefighters and emergency personnel.
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CAR actively follows legislation and works with stakeholders to address wildfire prevention and mitigation because it protects our environment and ensures strong property values in our wildland urban interfaces. Click here to learn more about our work with Colorado Project Wildfire. Yesterday, the bill passed third reading in the Senate and will now head to the Governor’s desk.
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CAR Works to Build Foundation of Affordable Housing Solutions During 2019 Legislative Session
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With affordable housing concerns topping the list of priority issues for Colorado residents, the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) collaborated with several diverse stakeholders throughout the 2019 legislative session to make significant strides on short-and long-term housing solutions for communities across our state.
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CAR is working cooperatively with more than 80 stakeholder organizations and business leaders across the public and private sector, political leaders from both sides of the aisle and countless others to support key statewide legislation aimed at expanding and improving affordable housing solutions and economic growth in the decades ahead.
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CAR’s Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) supports the following 2019 bills as meaningful solutions that are key to addressing the state’s insufficient supply of affordable housing:
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House Bill 19-1322: Expand the Supply of Affordable Housing
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HB19-1322, sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts (D-Avon), Rep. Perry Will (R-New Castle), Sen. Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City) and Sen. Don Coram (R-Montrose), establishes a new state fund in the Division of Housing to provide sustainable funding for programs and projects that improve, preserve, or expand the supply of affordable workforce housing in Colorado. Revenue sources include General Fund, Unclaimed Property Trust Fund, Marijuana Cash Funds, and Gifts, Grants and Donations.
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The bill passed third reading on the House Floor this morning and will next be heard in its first Senate committee.
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House Bill 19-1319: Flexible Funding Opportunities and Incentives for Developers
HB19-1319, sponsored by Rep. Shannon Bird (D-Westminster), Rep. Hugh McKean (R-Loveland), Sen. Faith Winter (D-Westminster) and Sen. Dennis Hisey (R-Fountain), creates two policy changes to support private and nonprofit developers in initiating financing and building affordable housing projects. Affordable housing developers often have difficulty obtaining financing from lenders because of regulatory barriers in the existing property tax system . This legislation would ask the Legislative Council to research and make public an inventory of public lands that could be used for affordable housing development and limits the claw back of property tax exemptions that could fund affordable housing projects.
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The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee today upon adjournment.
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House Bill 19-1228: Expansion of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)
HB19-1228, sponsored by Rep. Shannon Bird (D-Westminster), Rep. Brianna Titone (D-Arvada), Sen. Rachel Zenzinger (D-Aurora) and Sen. Jack Tate (R-Centennial), raises the cap of total allowed state tax credits for the program from the current $5M to $10M. And raises private sector equity needed to support the development and preservation of affordable housing. The bill is scheduled to be heard on the Senate Floor today.
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House Bill 19-1075: Tax Credit Employer Assisted Housing Pilot Program
HB19-1075, sponsored by Rep. James Wilson (R-Salida), creates a pilot tax credit for donations to nonprofit sponsors of employer assisted housing projects in rural areas of the state with a maximum of $400 for the credit. The bill will next be heard in the House Appropriations Committee.
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House Bill 19-1245: Affordable Housing Funding from Vendor Fee Changes
HB19-1245, sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman (D-Aurora), Sen. Julie Gonzales (D-Denver) and Sen. Mike Foote (D-Lafayette), increases the state vendor fee and allocates the additional grant funds to the development of affordable housing with priority for 30% AMI projects and property owners who have exceeded insurance coverage after their property was damaged in a natural disaster. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee today upon adjournment.
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These 2019 pieces of legislation in phase one are critical significant first steps to address the lack of supply of affordable housing statewide, but CAR is also focusing on tackling this issue in 2020 as phase two when we continue to develop and champion key legislation for the 2020 session including expansion of the First Time Homebuyer Savings Account for Employer matching.
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The expansion of the first-time homebuyer savings accounts is widely supported across Colorado. This program would give employers an opportunity to match their employee’s contributions to their own savings accounts enables both the employer and the employee to pitch in and contribute money faster to save for that first home purchase. This policy keeps Colorado competitive because it allows all our employers to retain top employee talent and it supports our Colorado families and critical civil servants such as teachers, firefighters have security, good health, and build future prosperity.
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Thank you, CAR Spring Summit Attendees!
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This week we celebrated 50 years of RPAC at the Diamonds Are Forever reception at CAR’s Spring Summit in Vail. Thank you to Vail Board of REALTORS® for sponsoring the event and thank you to the 112 members who attended. The evening was a huge success raising $21,206 for RPAC, $3,000 more than our goal! This fundraiser brings our overall RPAC total over half of our state goal. Thank you to all the attendees for your generous support of RPAC!
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The purpose of RPAC is to support candidates that support REALTOR® issues. Our goal is to elect REALTOR ® Party candidates at the local, state, and federal levels – candidates that support homeownership, and protect property rights.
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NAR Midyear Legislative Meetings (May 13-18, 2019)
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The REALTORS® Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo allows NAR members an opportunity to take an active role in advancing the real estate industry, and public policy directly. REALTORS® come to Washington, DC, for special issues forums, committee meetings, legislative activities, hill visits and the industry trade show. Registration is now open. Click here for more information.
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For Colorado, we have nine hill visits to complete and as we approach May, CAR Government Affairs staff will be in contact with attendees regarding the hill visits meeting schedule for their specific congressional district.
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Colorado Project Wildfire
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Developed by the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, Project Wildfire is designed to help reduce the destruction of land, property, and lives. Working in partnership with other like-minded fire prevention organizations across the state, local REALTOR® associations are bringing education and awareness, as well as access to resources, directly to residents in their local communities. To learn more about Colorado Project Wildfire, click here.
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Sign up for REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts
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More than 50,000 REALTORS® from across the country have already signed up for REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts – have you? Text REALTORS to 30644 to stay up to date on REALTOR® issues! You’ll be among the first to know about NAR Calls for Action and more! Click here for more information.