95% of Coloradans say cost of renting or buying a home is a problem, 70% say local governments aren’t doing enough
Denver, CO – Today, Keating Research released a new poll commissioned by Centennial State Prosperity, which found that a large majority of Coloradans back state lawmakers’ solutions to help local communities build more housing that is affordable and to reduce housing costs. An overwhelming 95% of Coloradans from across the state and across party lines said that the cost of renting or buying a home in Colorado is a problem, with 80% saying it was a major problem. 70% of Coloradans said that local governments in Colorado are not doing enough to reduce these costs for working families.
The new research found that:
- 78% of voters support a state law allowing Accessory Dwelling units (ADUs) to be built on single family home properties.
- 72% of voters support a state law requiring local governments to develop housing plans that estimate how much housing is needed in their communities and to adopt policies that provide enough new housing to meet these needs.
- 68% of voters support a state law requiring cities and counties to allow more housing to be built near business and shopping districts, bus stops, and train stations and providing financial assistance to cities and counties for these projects.
“This illuminating research confirmed the experiences of countless Colorado working families, small business owners, seniors, and young people across the state who simply can’t find housing options that are affordable,” said Austin Blumenfeld, Executive Director of Centennial State Prosperity. “Colorado now has the fifth highest housing costs in the country, and the reality is many people can’t afford a roof over their head, no matter how many hours they are working.
“This poll shows that Coloradans want comprehensive action taken now to ensure that seniors can downsize, businesses, schools, and critical services like fire departments can hire the employees they need, and people have access to housing options that are near their jobs and families. This includes empowering homeowners to aid in the crisis by building more ADUs, creating more diverse types of housing options, building homes near transit, and ensuring local governments are researching their housing needs and working with the state to develop policies to address them.”
The poll also found that the housing crisis exists across the state, as voters in each region say the cost of housing is a major problem, including 80% of voters in Denver and Boulder, 78% of voters in the Denver suburbs, 82% of voters in El Paso, Larimer, Pueblo, and Weld counties, and 79% of voters in 53 other Colorado counties. The understanding of a housing shortage in Colorado is consistent across party lines with 93% of Democrats, 88% of Unaffiliated, and 78% of Republican voters saying the state does not have enough housing.
Governor Jared Polis centered his State of the State address around land use and housing issues, and it is expected to be one of the top priorities for the state legislature. Housing continues to be top of mind for Coloradans, with a new study finding that Colorado ranks last in housing competitiveness across the country.
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