Legislative Advocacy this Week at the State Capitol The third official week of the session has wrapped up with more bills moving through the legislative process. The Colorado Association of REALTORS® is tracking around 31 bills relevant to the real estate and business community; we anticipate more housing-related bills to be introduced in the coming weeks. As always, Colorado Association of REALTORS®...
Legislative Advocacy this Week at the State Capitol The 2023 legislative session kicked off on January 9th and there are already 120 introduced bills. It is going to be a very big housing legislative session and our Legislative Policy Committee members will be very busy reviewing lots of legislation this year. In fact, in the Governor’s State of the State Address...
The Governor’s theme “Colorado for All” includes a focus on affordable housing, an issue he says he’s heard throughout the state. At his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, January 10th, Polis said the increase in home prices is part of the reason he’ll be calling for changes this year. “We really want to lean into removing some of the barriers that exist to...
On Friday, December 23, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2023 Omnibus spending package, narrowly avoiding a shutdown and funding the federal government through September 30, 2023. The $1.7 trillion spending package includes funding for agency programs and initiatives important to real estate, including: Reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30, 2023; $86 million for HUD Fair...
As life-threatening weather events grow in frequency, our homes, in turn, are becoming more vulnerable. From floods, hurricanes and severe winter storms to droughts, wildfires and extreme heat, residential communities face a growing number of climate-related threats. The more REALTORS® know about extreme weather risks, the better equipped they’ll be to help prospective homebuyers navigate the troubled waters of purchasing a...
Before the end of 2022, Gov. Jared Polis issued eight proclamations, declaring the vote for ballot measures that the public approved during November's election. Below are the new Amendments and Propositions that impact Colorado real estate. Amendment E. A Constitutional measure referred to the ballot by the General Assembly, it expands the state's homestead property tax exemption, currently granted to qualifying seniors and...
The Common Sense Institute released its report on “Adapting Colorado’s Water Systems for a 21st Century Economy and Water Supply.” “Water has been and remains an important issue that will affect housing development,” said CAR’s VP of Public Policy Liz Peetz, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the Common Sense Institute. “We need more than one approach to...
A recent Home Affordability report from Common Sense Institute showed that the affordability of purchasing a home in Colorado is at its lowest point since 1989. “Due in large part to the cost of housing, Colorado is an increasingly expensive place to live,” said Dr. Steven Byers, CSI Senior Economist. “With increased prices and rising interest rates, the affordability of purchasing...
Today, a great public servant will lay in state in Colorado. Representative Hugh McKean was a hard worker who always brought common sense and logic to a building and conversations that can be very challenging at times. Foremost in his mind were his constituents and the people of Colorado. As a minority leader of the Republican House caucus, he faced internal adversity...
Liz Peetz, CAR’s Vice President of Government Affairs, was interviewed on the Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association (RMMCA)’s podcast Tradeswork in November. She spoke about attainable housing, workforce housing, and how the housing market is an economic indicator for builders. “The cost of regulatory compliance is rising. It is taking two years to get a permit approved,” said Peetz. She said...