Colorado zoning laws stymie affordable housing

Most residential zoning codes in Colorado block affordable housing throughout most of the state, according to a recent analysis of the state’s zoning laws.

Roughly 92% of residential land in Colorado allows for single-family dwellings, but 59% of that land is restricted from any other type of housing, according to the study by the National Zoning Atlas. Just 3% of residential land in the state permits housing with more than four units.

One in five jurisdictions with zoning codes prohibit housing with four or more units entirely.
Other zoning restrictions hamper construction of affordable housing options, including minimum lot size mandates. More than 93% of land zoned for single-family housing requires lot sizes of at least one acre. 

Parking mandates apply to 85% of residential land, reducing the amount of land on a parcel that could be devoted to housing and driving up costs, the study says. Colorado had the fifth highest home prices and third highest rent prices in the nation in 2023, according to another study.