Why It Matters
Colorado’s housing shortage has placed mounting pressure on school districts, colleges, and universities struggling to attract and retain employees in communities where rental costs have outpaced wages. A newly signed law gives those institutions a new tool to address the problem directly — by building housing on land they already own, regardless of how local zoning rules classify it.
Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 1001, known as the Housing Options Made Easier Act or HOME Act, into law on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, making Colorado one of the first states to grant educational institutions broad authority to override local residential zoning restrictions for workforce and affordable housing development.
What Happened
Governor Polis signed HB 1001 at a ceremony at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver, surrounded by education officials and Democratic lawmakers who championed the measure. The bill passed during the 2026 legislative session and represents the first major housing legislation of that session to reach the governor’s desk.
Under the new law, local governments in Colorado with populations exceeding 2,000 residents will be required, beginning in 2028, to allow qualifying organizations to construct residential units on their property. This applies whether or not the land in question is currently zoned for residential use.
Qualifying organizations under the law include public K-12 schools, community colleges, four-year universities, transit agencies, public housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated track record of housing development. The legislation effectively gives these entities the ability to bypass local zoning decisions that would otherwise block residential construction on their land.
Eagle County School District Superintendent Philip Qualman spoke at the signing ceremony, calling the measure a meaningful step forward for districts facing recruitment and retention challenges tied directly to housing costs. “It’s going to reduce barriers, it’s going to reduce red tape,” Qualman said. “It’s going to make superintendents around the state have more opportunity.”
By the Numbers
- 2028: The year local governments must begin complying with the new zoning override requirement for qualifying organizations.
- 2,000+: The minimum population threshold a local government must meet to fall under the law’s requirements.
- 5+ categories of qualifying organizations covered, including schools, universities, transit agencies, public housing authorities, and nonprofits with verified housing development histories.
- 2026: The HOME Act is the first major housing bill passed during the 2026 Colorado legislative session, continuing a multi-year legislative push on housing.
- Colorado’s median rent has increased by more than 30 percent over the past five years in many Front Range communities, according to state housing data, intensifying pressure on public employers to offer housing solutions.
Zoom Out
Colorado’s HOME Act fits into a broader national movement in which states are stepping in to override local zoning authority in the name of housing production. California, Montana, and Florida have each passed legislation in recent years limiting the ability of local governments to block higher-density or mixed-use development, though Colorado’s approach — targeting institutional landowners specifically — represents a distinct strategy.
School districts and universities across the country have increasingly turned to workforce housing as a recruitment tool amid teacher shortages and rising costs of living near major campuses. States including Oregon and Washington have explored similar frameworks that allow public institutions to develop housing on surplus or underutilized land without navigating lengthy local zoning approval processes.
The Polis administration has pursued housing legislation aggressively since 2023, pushing through laws that require transit-oriented development, limit single-family zoning near transit corridors, and streamline permitting for accessory dwelling units. The HOME Act continues that trajectory by expanding the universe of entities that can develop housing outside of traditional local land-use controls.
What’s Next
With the bill now signed into law, state agencies and qualifying organizations will have until 2028 to prepare for implementation. School districts, universities, and nonprofits are expected to begin identifying land holdings suitable for residential development during that period.
Local governments will need to update their zoning ordinances and permitting processes to accommodate the new requirements before the 2028 deadline. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs is expected to play a role in providing guidance to municipalities navigating compliance.
Housing advocates and education officials will be monitoring whether the law spurs a meaningful wave of new residential construction on institutional land, particularly in high-cost mountain communities and along the Front Range where housing shortages are most acute.