July 6, 2026
Lila Galinkin, Municipal Campaigns Organizer, Housing Forward Colorado

This report was originally published at Housing Forward Colorado (a SWEEP project).

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Colorado’s new Housing Needs Assessments, required under SB 24-174, provide one of the clearest pictures yet of the state’s housing challenges. Examining data from the Denver metro area, Larimer County, Colorado Springs and El Paso County, and Weld County, the assessments consistently show that Colorado is not building enough of the housing people actually need. While population and job growth have surged, housing production has lagged behind, driving up prices, increasing commute times, and making it harder for workers and families to live near jobs, schools, and everyday destinations.

The assessments also reveal a significant mismatch between the existing housing stock and today’s demand. Most communities need more attainable homes for moderate- and lower-income households, smaller homes for shrinking household sizes, and a wider variety of housing types, including townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and apartments. Instead, Colorado continues to build primarily large single-family homes and large apartment buildings, leaving a shortage of the “missing middle” housing that can provide more attainable homeownership and rental opportunities.

Perhaps most importantly, the assessments identify remarkably consistent barriers to solving the problem. Restrictive zoning, lengthy permitting processes, and cumbersome public approval procedures continue to limit housing production across the Front Range. As communities begin developing Housing Action Plans over the next two years, the findings provide a strong, data-driven roadmap for local leaders to reform land use policies, streamline development, and create more diverse, affordable housing options that better meet Colorado’s growing needs.

Read the full blog post on the Housing Forward Colorado website.