(1) The division of local government shall provide technical assistance, materials, briefings, consulting services, templates, tools, trainings, webinars, or other guidance to assist local governments in:
(a) Establishing regional entities that promote statewide coverage of local governments by housing needs assessments without unnecessary duplication for the purpose of conducting regional housing needs assessments and displacement risk assessments;
(b) Creating housing needs assessments pursuant to sections 24-32-3703 and 24-32-3704;
(c) Conducting a displacement risk analysis with a state-created tool;
(d) Identifying and implementing strategies, including in the directories described in section 24-32-3706;
(e) Making and adopting a housing action plan in accordance with section 24-32-3705;
(f) Enacting laws and policies pursuant to accepted housing needs assessments and accepted housing action plans that encourage the development of a range of housing types, including regulated affordable housing, or mitigate the impact of displacement in accordance with section 24-32-3706; and
(g) Creating strategic growth elements in master plans as described in section 30-28-106 (3)(a.5)(III) or section 31-23-206 (1.5)(d).
(2) In determining to whom it will provide assistance pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the division of local government shall prioritize requests for technical assistance related to:
(a) Conducting regional housing needs assessments, if the department determines that the regional entity meets the requirements of this section and the assessment would promote statewide coverage of local governments by housing needs assessments without unnecessary duplication;
(b) Conducting housing needs assessments and creating housing action plans contemporaneously; and
(c) Enacting laws and policies to preserve or create regulated affordable housing, mitigate displacement, or increase opportunities for multifamily residential housing near major transit stops.
(3) (a) In assisting local governments pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the division of local government shall provide funding through either a grant program, the provision of consultant services, or both directly to local governments or through a regional entity and shall prioritize funding and grant programs administered by the department for the purposes of this section, so long as doing so is not inconsistent with federal or state law.
(b) Any consultant retained by the department to provide technical assistance pursuant to this section relating to housing needs assessments and housing action plans shall have demonstrated experience conducting high-quality housing needs assessments and strategic housing plans and engaging underrepresented communities, residents, and workers with disproportionate housing needs and challenges.
(c) The department shall require, as a condition of any funding awarded to a local government to conduct housing needs assessments or create housing action plans pursuant to this section, that:
(I) Unless no such person is available, any person providing services to the local government that will be funded by the award meets the requirements of subsection (3)(b) of this section; and
(II) The local government use a portion of the funds awarded by the department to conduct housing needs assessments or creating housing action plans pursuant to this section to engage underrepresented and underrecognized communities.
(4) Beginning January 1, 2025, and every year thereafter, the division of local government shall provide a report on the assistance requested by local governments pursuant to this section, whether or not adequate state funding is available to provide the assistance requested by local governments, and any additional resources that the division of local government or local governments have identified that would assist local governments in identifying and implementing laws and policies that would increase the availability of housing in Colorado.
(5) (a) The division of local government shall serve as a clearing house, for the benefit of local governments and regional entities, of information relating to this part 37 and shall refer local governments to state and federal resources and appropriate departments or agencies of the state or federal government for advice, assistance, or available services relating to this part 37.
(b) The division of local government shall identify opportunities for, encourage, and, when so requested, assist cooperative efforts among local governments in solving common problems related to population change and the implementation of this part 37.
(c) The department may attempt to mediate disputes between local governments regarding the enactment of local laws or policies related to the creation of housing needs assessments and housing action plans pursuant to this part 37, interjurisdictional coordination or disputes regarding the development of land for residential uses, including regulated affordable housing uses and the provision of water and sewer services, and anything else covered by this part 37 or refer local governments to the list of mediators maintained pursuant to section 24-32-3209 to assist in the resolution of such disputes.
(6) (a) The housing needs planning technical assistance fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of gifts, grants, and donations credited to the fund and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund to the fund.
(b) Money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund is continuously appropriated to the department for the purposes of providing technical assistance and implementing a grant program pursuant to this section.
(c) Repealed.
Source: L. 2024: Entire part added, (SB 24-174), ch. 290, p. 1960, � 1, effective May 30.
Editor's note: Subsection (6)(c)(II) provided for the repeal of subsection (6)(c), effective July 1, 2025. (See L. 2024, p. 1960.)
24-32-3709.5. Regional planning roundtable commission - establishment - facilitating - notice to revisor - definition. (1) [Editor's note: Subsection (1) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] The regional planning roundtable commission is created in the department of local affairs.
(2) [Editor's note: Subsection (2) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] The commission is a type 2 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105, and exercises its powers and performs its duties and functions under the department of local affairs.
(3) [Editor's note: Subsection (3) is effective (see editor's note following this section)]
(a) The commission consists of twenty-one members appointed as follows:
(I) One member representing the Colorado Municipal League, or any successor organization, appointed by the Colorado municipal league or the successor organization;
(II) One member representing Colorado Counties, Inc., or any successor organization, appointed by Colorado counties, inc., or the successor organization;
(III) One member representing the department of agriculture, appointed by the commissioner of agriculture;
(IV) One member representing Counties and Commissioners Acting Together, or any successor organization, appointed by the executive director of Counties and Commissioners Acting Together or the executive director's designee;
(V) Three members representing community planning professionals, appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
(VI) One member who is a Colorado resident representing an Indigenous community, as defined in section 24-33.5-2601 (2), and who is a member of a federally recognized tribe with historic ties to Colorado;
(VII) One member representing the department of natural resources, appointed by the executive director of the department of natural resources;
(VIII) One member representing the Colorado energy office, appointed by the director of the Colorado energy office;
(IX) One member representing the Colorado department of transportation, appointed by the executive director of the Colorado department of transportation;
(X) One member representing the department of local affairs, appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
(XI) One member representing the Special District Association of Colorado, or any successor organization, appointed by the Special District Association of Colorado or the successor organization;
(XII) One member with expertise in affordable housing, appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs;
(XIII) One member representing a regional council of governments, appointed by the regional council of governments selected for this purpose by the governor;
(XIV) One member with expertise in climate and environmental issues, appointed by the executive director of the department of public health and environment;
(XV) One member with expertise in tourism, appointed by the Colorado tourism office; and
(XVI) Four members, each representing a distinct region of the state, each appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs.
(b) Appointments to the commission shall be made with a consideration of the ethnicity, gender, and geographic representation of the members of the commission.
(c) The initial appointments to the commission shall be made no later than September 30, 2025.
(d) Each member of the commission who is appointed pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section serves at the pleasure of the relevant appointing authority. The term of appointment is three years; except that the term of the members initially appointed pursuant to subsections (3)(a)(XIII) and (3)(a)(XVI) of this section is two years.
(4) [Editor's note: Subsection (4) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] Members of the commission serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
(5) [Editor's note: Subsection (5) is effective (see editor's note following this section)]
(a) The member of the commission appointed by the executive director of the department of local affairs pursuant to subsection (3)(a)(X) shall convene the first meeting of the commission as necessary to elect a chair and establish the commission procedures and operation framework.
(b) After meeting pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section, the commission shall only meet when a local government requests assistance in addressing a regional opportunity or challenge. When meeting to provide this assistance, the commission shall:
(I) Define a region for purposes of establishing a regional roundtable to assist in addressing the regional opportunity or challenge;
(II) Considering local expertise, suggest who should serve on the regional roundtable established in connection with addressing the regional opportunity or challenge; and
(III) Identify state resources available to assist in addressing the regional opportunity or challenge.
(6) [Editor's note: Subsection (6) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] The commission may:
(a) Consider assisting in the establishment of an integrated framework for planning, which framework shall consider the following topics, at a minimum:
(I) Natural environment systems;
(II) Development patterns;
(III) Housing and housing needs;
(IV) Transportation;
(V) Sustainable infrastructure;
(VI) Economic opportunity and employment; and
(VII) Healthy communities; and
(b) Hear presentations from and have discussions with relevant persons.
(7) [Editor's note: Subsection (7) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] On or before December 31 of the year after which the commission first meets, and on or before December 31 each year thereafter, the commission shall report to the transportation, housing, and local government committee of the house of representatives and the local government and housing committee of the senate, or any successor committees. The report must include a description of any assistance that the commission has provided to local governments.
(8) [Editor's note: Subsection (8) is effective (see editor's note following this section)] As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, commission means the regional planning roundtable commission.
(9) (a) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources to implement this section. The department shall not implement this section until it receives an amount of gifts, grants, and donations that it deems necessary to implement this section.
(b) Notwithstanding section 24-75-1305, for state fiscal year 2026-27 and any subsequent fiscal year, the general assembly may appropriate money from the general fund for the implementation of this section.
(10) Subsections (1) to (8) of this section will take effect if the department receives an amount of gifts, grants, and donations that it deems necessary to implement this section. The director shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing of the date on which the condition specified in this subsection (10) has occurred by emailing the notice to revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. Subsections (1) to (8) of this section take effect upon the date identified in the notice that the department has received an amount of gifts, grants, and donations that it deems necessary to implement this section or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.
Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (HB 25-1198), ch. 396, p. 2231, � 2, effective August 6 (see editor's note).
Editor's note: Subsection (10) provides that subsections (1) to (8) will take effect if the department receives an amount of gifts, grants, and donations that it deems necessary to implement this section and the director notifies the revisor of statutes. Subsections (1) to (8) take effect upon the date identified in the notice or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes. As of publication date, the revisor of statutes has not received the notice referred to in this section.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1198, see section 1 of chapter 396, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.