Gov. Jared Polis has signed the HOME Act into law, clearing a new path for public schools, colleges, transit districts, and certain nonprofits to build housing on land they already own, even in places where local zoning would normally block residential construction. Supporters say the move will cut permitting delays and help deliver workforce housing so teachers, nurses, and first responders can actually live near their jobs. Critics counter that the state is muscling into local land-use turf and may be opening the door to speculation. The new rules start phasing in at the end of 2027 and fully take effect in 2028.
Lawmakers advanced the Housing Opportunities Made Easier Act, formally House Bill 26-1001 and often shortened to HB1001, during the 2026 legislative session. Polis signed it at the state Capitol on March 25. As reported by The Colorado Sun, the law orders local governments with more than 2,000 residents to let qualifying public entities pursue housing projects on their own land through a streamlined process that is largely ministerial instead of discretionary.
How the HOME Act Works
Under the law, certain parcels become "qualifying properties" that can be used for housing without going through the usual discretionary zoning fights, according to KUNC. Eligible land can be owned by public school districts, community colleges, universities, transit agencies, public housing authorities, and nonprofits with a demonstrated record of building housing.
Most sites must sit within three miles of a municipality or in parts of counties with at least 5,000 residents. Projects are capped in height and overall size, and there are carveouts for parcels that lack water or sewer, sit under conservation easements, fall in airport exclusion zones or carry historic protections. Local governments still get to apply objective standards for things like utilities, transportation access, and health and safety as part of the ministerial review.
Supporters Say It Frees Up Land for Workforce Housing
Backers frame the law as a way to unlock underused public land and put homes closer to jobs, especially for school staff and other essential workers who have been priced out of long commutes. "We as a state, by passing this bill, are saying we want our partners at the table as part of the housing solution," Polis said at the bill signing.
Bill sponsors argue that giving schools and similar entities a streamlined approval path will cut down on the red tape and delays that can stall projects before they ever break ground, according to reporting from Colorado Politics.
Local Pushback and Legal Questions
City leaders and the Colorado Municipal League have warned that the HOME Act chips away at home-rule land-use authority and does not guarantee long-term affordability. Instead of locking in deed-restricted units, they argue, the law could invite speculation on valuable public land.
Several municipalities, including Littleton, approved resolutions opposing the bill before it passed. That organized pushback, documented by the Boulder Reporting Lab and in Littleton city records, has set the stage for potential legal fights once the law starts to bite.
What to Watch Next
The hard part now shifts to school districts, transit agencies, and nonprofits that want to build. They will have to secure financing, show that infrastructure like water and sewer can actually serve these projects, and steer developments through the ministerial review while bracing for possible lawsuits.
Polis promoted the signing in a Facebook post that linked out to more coverage, and lawmakers also passed a companion measure that broadens local tools for workforce housing. The open question is whether these newly cleared properties will turn into real homes on the ground and how far towns are willing to go in court to test the state’s new housing play, as noted by reporting from Sentinel Colorado.
