Biz Now Affordable Housing Summit
- John Glenn RTD
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
1 in 3 Coloradans are housing burdened. Affordable housing is a complex challenge in Colorado, but it is worth it to meet the critical needs of the state.
During the past week, I attended the Bisnow Affordable Housing Summit at the Westin in downtown Denver, where developers, policymakers, lenders, and housing advocates convened to examine the current landscape of affordable housing in Colorado. As an architect with experience in designing and developing multiple affordable housing projects, I consider this topic a personal passion of mine.
One of the recurring themes was how much the financing system still relies on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit structure that was designed around the tax environment of the 1980s. While the program remains the backbone of affordable housing development, it has become increasingly challenging to assemble the financing needed to close funding gaps and move projects forward in today’s market.
A key takeaway from the event was that successful affordable housing projects require strong alignment with the communities where they are built. Developers emphasized the importance of engaging neighborhoods early and often—we want a more meaningful engagement with the community rather than just picking out the countertops. Understanding local priorities, concerns, and opportunities can make or break a project. To help offset rising costs, developers are also looking for transit-adjacent sites where reduced parking requirements can improve project feasibility. In that sense, continued investment in regional transit infrastructure like RTD isn’t just a transportation priority—it’s also an important housing strategy.
Affordable housing continues to be a multifaceted challenge in Colorado, especially as costs such as insurance and requirements for all-electric construction increase. If Colorado and Denver are committed to fully implementing all-electric buildings, it will be essential to develop new funding mechanism to support these goals, as current costs remain a significant barrier.
There were also encouraging conversations about new tools and policy shifts that could help address the housing shortage. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for financing and partnerships, while initiatives like Proposition 123 have already accelerated affordable housing development statewide. At the same time, new laws allowing single-stair buildings and accessory dwelling units could open the door to smaller infill projects—the “missing middle” that has been largely absent as most affordable developments have scaled to 150–300 units. With one in three Coloradans considered housing burdened, the need is clear.
-JG
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