Last updated: March 18, 2025
The 2025 Colorado Legislative Session is well underway. In this year’s session, Archway Communities is working with like-minded affordable housing developers to protect the critical investments in affordable housing that Colorado has made in the past. Here are some of the top legislative priorities that Archway has been tracking at both the state and local level.
State Priorities
As part of this year’s budget negotiations, a series of proposed cuts could affect the amount of funding that affordable housing developers receive from the Housing Development Grant Fund (HDG). The HDG is administered by the Department of Housing (DOH) and provides important grant funding for the acquisition, rehabilitation and construction of affordable properties.
Public funding is a critical component of affordable housing development. Grants and below-market loans with flexible terms for housing development projects allow Archway to charge rents lower than market rate and deed restrict the property so that rents can remain affordable for the long term. Archway advocates to preserve and expand grant funds because they allow us to serve our most vulnerable residents including those exciting experiences of homelessness.
Although loans can’t replace grant funding, below-market loans can be an important additional funding source to affordable housing development. Archway and our advocacy partners are collaborating with the Governor’s office on the potential to create a new $100M 0% interest loan fund to support affordable housing development. 0% interest loans with long repayment terms can be an important source of funding and we encourage the establishment of this type of fund, Archway and our partners are also advocating for the inclusion of a set aside to fund Permanent Supportive Housing, or housing that serves our most vulnerable residents, as well as a set aside for the preservation of existing affordable housing.
Archway’s policy recommendations are grounded in our experiences working to finance and develop affordable housing and supporting residents who struggle to find and remain in an affordable home. With more than 50 years of experience in this space, we believe new housing funding should be additive in order to continue to address the growing housing needs in our state. We also know that if grant funding is replaced with loans, fewer homes with rents affordable to the lowest incomes will be built.
Local Priorities
During the November 2024 election, voters opposed Measure 2R by a narrow margin of 1.48%. In the wake of Measure 2R’s opposition, Mayor Johnston has recently announced a new general obligation bond (GO): the Vibrant Denver Bond Program. According to Mayor Johnston, the goal of Vibrant Denver is to fund public improvements across the city without raising taxes.
Within the scope of Vibrant Denver, there is the possibility that a portion of the GO’s funds could go toward housing, specifically affordable housing. One component of the City’s previous GO, the 2021 RISE Denver Bond, was the provision of shelter and resources for Denverites experiencing homelessness. With Vibrant Denver, affordable housing advocates and developers are hopeful that a similar amount of funds will be allocated to affordable housing, providing support for Denverites as they transition to permanent housing.
Advocacy at Archway
At Archway, we advocate for housing policy on a nonpartisan basis at the state and local levels to support our work and expand our reach. Our policy recommendations are grounded in our experiences working to finance and develop affordable housing, with our primary goal being to support residents who struggle to find and remain in affordable housing.
Our advocacy framework centers around three main principles:
- Build and Preserve Affordable Housing
- Inclusive Land Use
- Equitable and Inclusive Housing Programs
During this year’s legislative session, members of Archway’s leadership team are hoping to advocate for lower-income Coloradans at the local level by being a part of an advisory committee for Vibrant Denver. Archway’s goal is to ensure that the needs of all Coloradans are being met through the provision of affordable and accessible housing.
In addition to advocating for legislation directly, Archway works with a lobbyist to secure meetings with legislators, work with bill drafters to create amendments and ensure that our team receives the latest information from the Colorado Capitol. As a state, we have historically invested in really important supportive resources and funding opportunities, and it is vital that we protect these initiatives.
If you would like to learn more about the legislation that Archway is currently advocating for, or how you can support Archway and other Colorado affordable housing developers in this year’s legislative session, please contact Katie McKenna, Archway’s Housing Development Manager, at katiemckenna@https://archwaycommunities.org.
