During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Attorney General Phil Weiser today issued an advisory reminding Colorado landlords of expanded housing protections for victim-survivors of domestic violence, domestic abuse, stalking, and unlawful sexual behavior.
House Bill 25-1168, passed in 2025, expanded protections for victim-survivors facing eviction and other housing challenges related to abuse. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has received reports that some landlords are not following the law.
“Colorado strengthened its laws last year to make clear that no one should lose their home because they experienced domestic violence or abuse,” said Attorney General Weiser. “Domestic violence is never the victim’s fault, and survivors should not face the added trauma of losing their housing because of an abuser’s actions. Landlords have a responsibility to follow the law, and we want to hear from tenants when they don’t.”
Under Colorado law, when domestic violence or domestic abuse causes a tenant to miss or make a late rent payment and the tenant provides required documentation, a landlord must offer a repayment plan rather than pursue eviction for the unpaid rent. Landlords cannot charge fees, interest, or penalties associated with the repayment plan.
Documentation can include a police report or protection order, but tenants can also document the abuse themselves through a self-attestation affidavit or provide a letter from a qualified third party who helped them.
The law also provides protections for victim-survivors who need to end a lease early because of abuse. It allows tenants to change locks or take other safety precautions, limits their liability for damage caused by an abuser, restricts the assignment of certain debts to debt collectors, and protects the confidentiality of their victim-survivor status and new address.
Read Attorney General Weiser’s advisory on housing protections for victim-survivors.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office does not represent individuals in eviction cases. Coloradans who believe they were unlawfully evicted or whose landlord is not following these requirements may seek legal assistance or information from the Colorado Poverty Law Project or Colorado Legal Services.