GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Status

Accepted

Abstract

Colorado is rapidly growing and transforming. Since 2020, more than 180,000 new residents have decided to call the state home. While housing construction has kept pace with this influx, home types and geographic distribution have not met the changing needs of Colorado’s diverse households. Indeed, housing is being offered at a cost that many Coloradans cannot afford and located in places that are far from jobs and other opportunities. As a result, the state grapples with a housing affordability gap.

This report, a first-of-its-kind analysis of zoning conditions in Colorado, was developed by the authors, affiliates of the National Zoning Atlas (NZA). Over the course of a year, NZA analysts collected and analyzed information about zoning across Colorado's 334 jurisdictions using the NZA's tested methodology.

Part II of this report begins with a brief assessment of Colorado’s housing affordability gap and then identifies how zoning might play a role in closing it.

Part III explains the NZA methodology for analyzing and digitizing zoning codes and identifies special issues in Colorado. Our methodology enables collection of zoning data at an unprecedented scale, unlocking our ability to increase public understanding of zoning through reports like this one.

As Part IV details, the NZA reveals five key findings about zoning conditions across the state of Colorado. These include: Most Colorado jurisdictions have zoning. Land is predominantly zoned for single-family housing. Minimum lot-size mandates are widespread. Parking mandates exist on 85% of residential land. And accessory dwelling units are often banned or very difficult to build.

Part V offers three comparative analyses: first, across urban, suburban, small town, and rural areas throughout the state; second, across Denver and five of its suburbs; and third, across seven selected “principal cities” (i.e., cities that anchor their metropolitan areas). Taking all of these findings into account, Part VI concludes with actionable recommendations to support zoning reforms that create more accessible and affordable housing in Colorado.

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