ColoradoHB25-11682025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Housing Protections for Victim-Survivors

Sponsored By: Cecelia Espenoza (Democratic), Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), Mike Weissman (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Housing

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

11 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

More time before survivors lose housing

Survivors can request relief when victimization kept them from receiving or reasonably reviewing eviction papers, or from appearing in court. On that motion, courts must undo the final judgment and eviction order and give at least seven days to answer. Separately, tenants who raise the survivor defense and provide required documents receive 30 days after judgment before eviction enforcement. The landlord’s request for an eviction order must identify that protection. Enforcement must occur during daylight, between sunrise and sunset.

Stronger eviction protections for abuse survivors

Landlords cannot evict tenants solely because they survived unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or domestic abuse. They also cannot penalize tenants for seeking emergency help for that conduct or require tenants to waive that right. Documented abuse that caused or contributed to an alleged lease violation provides a defense against covered eviction claims. Allowed proof includes a police report, protection order, self-attestation affidavit, or qualified third-party letter; conflicting documents can require that letter. Lease terms cannot waive these defenses, but landlords can still seek possession from the person responsible for the abuse.

Survivors can recover landlord violation damages

Tenants can sue to stop violations of the law’s landlord-tenant survivor protections and seek damages. When a court finds a violation, it must award actual damages plus the greater of three months’ rent or $5,000. Courts can also award punitive or other damages, reasonable attorney fees, and costs as allowed by law.

Better eviction notices for abuse survivors

After tenants notify the landlord of survivor status, eviction demands, notices to vacate, and summonses require personal service, not posting. Every eviction summons must prominently explain survivor defenses, possible rent repayment plans, and Colorado’s address confidentiality program. Courts must let defendants raising the survivor defense add or change their court filings. Trials normally fall 7 to 10 days after the answer; qualifying survivors who request an extension receive more time and safety accommodations. Certain faster scheduling exceptions do not apply when the court knows the alleged conduct resulted from victimization.

Certain homeowners gain survivor housing protections

The law includes homeowners defined by Colorado’s mobile home park law in its definition of tenant for these survivor protections. Those homeowners receive the protections in this part of the housing law, rather than being excluded because they own their home.

Employer housing renters gain broader coverage

The law removes an exclusion for homes rented through employer-provided housing agreements. Renters in those homes now fall within the housing-law part that previously excluded them.

Rent repayment help for abuse survivors

Survivors facing eviction for unpaid or late rent receive a repayment offer after providing the required survivor documents. Landlords must offer it within 48 hours after the rent demand or receiving those documents, whichever is later. Plans follow the tenant’s discretion, repay all lawful rent in monthly payments, last at most 12 months, and add no fees, interest, or penalties. Tenants can accept before judgment; an agreed plan generally blocks possession and money judgments while pending. Payments over 14 days late allow a demand for the remaining balance, subject to legal cure periods. Failure to offer a required plan is an eviction defense, and landlords must accept full lawful payment before a possession judgment, directly or through court. After a documented survivor gives up possession, landlord money claims are generally limited to repayment-plan noncompliance.

Rental privacy protections for abuse survivors

Landlords cannot ask about, require disclosure of, or consider an applicant’s survivor status or experience with covered abuse. They generally cannot share a tenant’s survivor status without express written consent or a court order. That privacy protection also covers a new address provided for protection after a qualifying lease termination. When tenants notify the landlord of survivor status and consent to court disclosure, landlords must include it in specified eviction filings.

Survivors can shield eviction records

Survivors can ask courts to hide eviction records, including possession judgments and records created before this protection. They must provide an allowed survivor document and state that public access risks their safety or a household family member’s safety. Courts must then suppress those records or keep them suppressed.

Safer lease exits with capped charges

Tenants fearing danger from unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or domestic abuse can end their lease with notice and documentation. Proof can be a self-attestation affidavit, qualified third-party letter, police report from the prior 120 days, or valid qualifying protection order. No additional proof is required. Landlords can charge only direct economic losses, capped at one month’s rent, payable within 90 days after moving out. They must send a written damage statement within 30 days after the termination notice or lose the right to charge future rent. They cannot collect this charge if another tenant remains on the lease, or charge the survivor for damage caused by the responsible person or during the incident. Third-party debt assignment requires at least 90 days’ written notice and statutory collection procedures; timely compliance with the lawful notice prevents assignment.

Survivors gain protected home safety options

After survivor notice and required documentation, landlords cannot block reasonable safety steps, charge fees for them, or retaliate. Landlords must take reasonably needed steps to address safety concerns, and lease bans on reasonable precautions are void. Taking those precautions is not a serious lease violation. Tenants must make reasonable efforts to share new lock keys or access codes with an authorized recipient within 14 days. If the landlord, owner, or manager is the alleged abuser, tenants can use another safe, authorized person who agrees not to share access with that person.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Andrew Boesenecker
Democratic • House
Alex Valdez
Democratic • House
Bob Marshall
Democratic • House
Brianna Titone
Democratic • House
Chad Clifford
Democratic • House
Emily Sirota
Democratic • House
Jennifer Bacon
Democratic • House
Jamie Jackson
Democratic • House
Junie Joseph
Democratic • House
Javier Mabrey
Democratic • House
Julie McCluskie
Democratic • House
Jacque Phillips
Democratic • House
Jenny Willford
Democratic • House
Kyle Brown
Democratic • House
Karen McCormick
Democratic • House
Katie Stewart
Democratic • House
Lorena Garcia
Democratic • House
Monica Duran
Democratic • House
Meg Froelich
Democratic • House
Meghan Lukens
Democratic • House
Manny Rutinel
Democratic • House
Naquetta Ricks
Democratic • House
Regina English
Democratic • House
Rebekah Stewart
Democratic • House
Rep. S. Bird
Affiliation unavailable
Sean Camacho
Democratic • House
Sheila Lieder
Democratic • House
Tammy Story
Democratic • House
William Lindstedt
Democratic • Senate
Cathy Kipp
Democratic • Senate
Chris Kolker
Democratic • Senate
Dafna Michaelson Jenet
Democratic • Senate
Sen. F. Winter
Affiliation unavailable
Iman Jodeh
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Bridges
Democratic • Senate
James Coleman
Democratic • Senate
Jessie Danielson
Democratic • Senate
Julie Gonzales
Democratic • Senate
Katie Wallace
Democratic • Senate
Lisa Cutter
Democratic • Senate
Matt Ball
Democratic • Senate
Robert Rodriguez
Democratic • Senate
Tom Sullivan
Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 160 • No: 80

House vote • 4/11/2025

Senate amendments: Repass

Yes: 41 • No: 21

House vote • 4/11/2025

Senate amendments: Concur

Yes: 42 • No: 20

Senate vote • 4/4/2025

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 23 • No: 11

Senate vote • 3/31/2025

Refer House Bill 25-1168, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

Yes: 5 • No: 2

House vote • 3/5/2025

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 40 • No: 22

House vote • 2/26/2025