Governor Jared Polis, Mayor Mike Johnston, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT), and Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) have announced the launch of Housing Hub Colorado. This initiative aims to streamline the process for applying for affordable rental housing tax credits and related public funds in Colorado.
Housing Hub Colorado is the first project from the newly formed Colorado Housing Consortium. The consortium was created by BuildStrong Foundation with support from McKinsey & Company earlier this year and includes over 100 participants from private, public, and social sectors. It is co-chaired by Pat Hamill and DOLA Executive Director Maria De Cambra.
Governor Jared Polis stated, “Colorado is breaking down barriers to more housing people can afford and this one-stop shop will help make that possible in more communities across our state. This effort will save people, and local communities, time and money when building new homes in Colorado.”
Mayor Mike Johnston added, “There is no greater need in Denver and Colorado than affordable housing, and no greater obstacle to our success than time. I’m proud to partner with Gov. Polis and the top minds in this space to get shovels in the ground sooner, build smarter, and ensure Denverites can keep living in the city they love.”
The initiative brings together agencies to align application timelines for developers seeking public funding along with housing tax credits. According to a recent survey of applicants for housing tax credits over the past two years:
– 85% identified a statewide common application as the most significant opportunity for improving funding applications.
– 65% said that applying to multiple gap funding sources has a major impact on project timelines and increases risk.
Maria De Cambra, Executive Director of DOLA, commented: “We are focused on cutting red tape to save time and money. Ultimately, we want to create the Amazon of affordable housing finance in our state and make it as easy as possible to build, with the hopes that it saves money for Coloradans.”
Thomas Bryan, Executive Director and CEO of CHFA said: “CHFA’s mission to strengthen Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development thrives on collaborative partnerships with organizations dedicated to the same goals. Housing Hub Colorado marks an inspiring leap forward to boost efficiency and coordination while supporting the creation of more affordable homes for communities across our state.”
Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director noted: “A strong economy depends on good-paying jobs and housing Coloradans can afford. By simplifying the process of applying for funding, we are reducing time and cost burdens for communities and developers and accelerating the creation of homes near jobs and industry. We are proud to work with so many dedicated partners across the housing space to strengthen Colorado’s competitiveness, support local employers, and help Coloradans live in the communities they love.”
Pat Hamill from BuildStrong Foundation stated: “Fragmented processes and layering of requirements across government agencies can cause tremendous delays for builders when navigating funding related to affordable housing. Housing Hub Colorado is the first step to accelerate housing development across Colorado. It’s exciting to see what happens when we come together as a housing sector to push forward solutions.”
Jamie Van Leeuwen from BuildStrong Foundation said: “We heard it loud and clear from developers, removing barriers and accelerating delivery is one of their biggest priorities. Housing Hub Colorado will make it easier for developers to turn plans into homes. This historic achievement wouldn’t be possible without leaders across sectors rolling up their sleeves and working together. We should be proud of the progress the Housing Consortium has made in just months, not years.”
Phase 1 introduces immediate improvements such as a centralized website sharing resources for rental developments seeking tax credits or gap funding; an aligned application spreadsheet used by CHFA, DOLA, HOST; unified narrative questions; a streamlined pre-application at DOLA; removal of some financial documentation requirements; fewer required fields; plus a unified timeline showing program openings.
Phase 2 will focus on developing a common application targeted for launch in 2026 with fully aligned questions/materials—eventually expanding beyond rental programs into homeownership opportunities.
The collaboration aims at creating clearer pathways for developers while helping meet increasing demand for affordable homes throughout Colorado.
