SB24-174, Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance
In 2024, the General Assembly sought to sustainably increase housing supply through state support for strategic growth, water supply and housing needs assessments, in its passage of SB24-174 (Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance).
- View Bill on General Assembly webpage
- Sponsors: Senators Rachel Zenzinger & Barbara Kirkmeyer; Representatives Shannon Bird & Rose Pugliese
- CCI Position: Amend
- Bill Summary:
- Directs the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to developing housing needs assessment (HNA) methodologies and to conduct a statewide HNA by November 30, 2027, and every six years thereafter. Requires local governments with unincorporated populations of 1,000 or more to conduct and publish local or regional HNAs beginning December 31, 2026, and no less frequently than every six years thereafter. HNAs published from 2022 onward may be considered for grandfathering in.
- Local governments with unincorporated populations of five thousand or more must create a housing action plan (advisory document) by January 1, 2028, and every 6 years thereafter.
- DOLA must publish a directory of standard and long-term affordability strategies to guide local governments; a strategic growth report; and a coordinated report with relevant state agencies on natural land and agricultural interjurisdictional opportunities.
- Requires local government master plans to include: A narrative description of the procedure used for the development and adoption of the master plan; no later than December 31, 2026, a water supply element; and no later than December 31, 2026, a strategic growth element, unless a county or region has not received funding to include the element and either has a population of 20,000 or less and has experienced negative population growth, or has a population of 5,000 or less. Counties and municipalities must submit their master plan and any separately approved water or strategic growth element to the Division of Local Government for review and acceptance.
- DOLA must provide technical assistance through a grant program, provision of consultant services, or both to aid local governments in establishing regional entities, creating HNAs and action plans, and enacting development laws and policies. The grant fund is continuously appropriated with an initial transfer of $15M.
2025 Winter Conference Session, Implementation of SB24-174
As the resources and requirements of SB24-174 come into fruition, this session familiarized participants with these elements but also provide insight into how one county has incorporated strategic growth principles into their comprehensive plan and how these requirements may be realized by planning department staff.
- Department of Local Affairs slide deck
- Covers: Strategic Growth; Comprehensive Plans & Water Supply Elements; Housing Needs Assessments & Housing Action Plans; Funding & Technical Assistance
- Adams County slides on Strategic Growth in Action
- A Planner’s Perspective slide deck
Other Resources
- Department of Local Affairs, Housing Plans landing page
- Department of Local Affairs, Housing Planning Grants Program landing page
- Department of Local Affairs, Strategic Growth & Neighborhood Centers landing page
- Department of Local Affairs, Strategic Growth & Vital Landscapes reports/planning guides landing page
- Strategic Growth Report Overview
- Strategic Growth Element Guidance