Policy Corner, June 2020
Urban Land Conservancy continues to work with a coalition of affordable housing providers throughout the state to advocate for resources and policies that will address housing needs, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Polis signed an executive order, in May, allocating $1.674 billion in federal funds for COVID-19 relief. Experts estimate a total of $294M needed in assistance for renters and homeowners in coordinated federal, state, local, and philanthropic sources. While the amount received, to date, is far short of that, there has been recent progress.
Direct Rent and Mortgage Assistance
- $10M (Executive Order) + $3.6M that DOLA/DOH said it would be allocating in State CDBG + $3M (1st exec order) = $16.6M in total State rent and mortgage assistance (however, the CDBG dollars can’t be used in PJs)
New Development Funding Preservation:
- $6-$8M for new developments (Vendor Fee—If it doesn’t get cut in June)
Operation Cost Assistance:
- $2M for human services programs (not just for housing–but we suggest that folks seeing large service needs/costs apply for this)
- $0 for lost rent/mortgage revenue
Housing Counseling:
- $250,000 in housing counseling (CDBG)
TOTAL: $16.85M in new funds, $18.85M if you count human services
There are also two State bills under consideration:
Senate Emergency Housing Assistance Bill – 1248
- Providing $20 million in “rental cost assistance”
- $350 in eviction legal assistance.
Eviction Moratorium Senate Bill – 1246
Permanently
- Requires all landlords to notify tenants and federal and state protections against eviction and foreclosures
- Prohibits landlords from demanding immigration or citizenship status of a tenant (unless that landlord is also the tenant’s employer), and from using status to harass, intimidate, or coerce tenants
- A landlord who provides a tenant notice of non-payment must accept payment of the tenant’s unpaid rent until 48 hours after a judge issues a write of restitution. For a second or subsequent failure to pay rent within 4 months of a previous failure they do not.
Temporarily (180 days or upon the expiration of the COVID-19 emergency)
- Prohibits conducting “non-essential evictions, ”
- Imposing late fees
- Serving notices to quit, etc.
- Prohibits a creditor or mortgagee from foreclosing on an occupied residential property
- Requires a creditor/mortgagee to grant forbearance if requested
Click here to read The Denver Post’s article: Affordable housing orgs say Coloradans will need at least $291 million in rent and mortgage assistance this year