Colorado Communities Adopting ‘Fast-Track Review’ for Affordable Housing

Colorado is celebrating an impor­tant milestone, with more than 100 communities now adopting Propo­sition 123 fast-­track review policies for affordable housing, representing nearly 50 percent of eligible local governments to do so.

The benchmark achievement comes months ahead of the December 31 deadline. Local governments must meet this deadline and achieve their unit growth commitment to remain eligible for Proposition 123 funding in 2027.

“Colorado is changing the game when it comes to building more housing Coloradans can afford. I am excited to see so many local govern­ments across our state take action to address housing shortages in com­munities, by cutting through the red tape to save money and fast­-track needed housing for all Coloradans to choose to live where they want to,” said Governor Jared Polis.

Early adoption of fast track ben­efits communities by reducing costs and increasing predictability for af­fordable housing developments. Lo­ cal governments can qualify for up to $45,000 of incentive funding for early adoption if they adopt a compliant fast track review process by June 30. The early adoption incentive requires no local match and serves as a cata­lyst for communities to implement fast track early.

“Reaching the 100­ community milestone so far in advance of the deadline is a clear demonstration of how local governments are stepping up to urgently address Colorado’s affordable housing crisis,” said Colorado Department of Lo­cal Affairs’ (DOLA) Executive Director Maria DeCam­bra. “Putting these policies to work quickly is crucial because it ensures we get more homes built faster across the state.”