Denver’s latest fight over housing policy is set to land on the council floor Monday night, as city leaders weigh a preservation plan that could make it harder to flip aging apartment buildings into high-end rentals. The update to Denver’s Preservation of Affordable Housing ordinance is paired with a separate opt-out resolution, and together they will determine whether the city leans on its own tougher rules or follows a newer state framework when older multifamily properties go up for sale.
What’s on the agenda
An overhaul of the city’s affordable housing preservation rules is one of the headline items on Monday’s council docket, alongside a companion resolution that would formally waive Denver’s rights under a recent state law, according to the Denver Gazette. The outlet reports that Denver has revised its Preservation of Affordable Housing ordinance so it aligns with House Bill 24-1175 while still keeping the city’s stricter local requirements in place.
How the state law works
House Bill 24-1175 gives local governments a right of first refusal to match qualified offers on certain existing affordable multifamily properties, along with a right of first offer for some older rental buildings, and it spells out notice and timing rules for how those powers can be used, according to the Colorado General Assembly. The statute also lets cities and counties assign or waive those rights entirely and includes a temporary sunset that limits how long the state framework remains in effect.
City filings and the opt-out resolution
City documents show the Department of Housing Stability has submitted a resolution, listed as File 26-0562, that would officially waive Denver’s right of first refusal and right of first offer while reaffirming the city’s updated Preservation of Affordable Housing ordinance as the primary policy tool. The draft measure explicitly states it "waives the right of first refusal and right of first offer" and notes that Denver’s long-term affordability standards go further than what the state law requires, according to Denver Legistar.
Mixed reactions at City Hall
Backers of the update say the ordinance is designed to keep older apartment buildings from being torn down or converted into luxury rentals, which they argue would push out longtime tenants and chip away at already scarce affordable units. Critics counter that additional layers of local rules could spook developers and slow the pace of new housing construction, a concern outlined by the Denver Gazette. The debate puts a familiar Denver tension back in the spotlight: how to protect renters without slamming the brakes on new home construction.
Other items on the docket
Housing is not the only hot topic in Monday’s packet. A Health and Safety resolution would amend a grant with the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, doing business as the Harm Reduction Action Center, and roll over $715,000 in unspent Year 2 funds into Year 3 so the organization can buy a permanent facility. The goal is to expand health-access services for more than 4,000 people annually. Council members will also consider a proposed $225,000 liability settlement tied to a civil case involving the Denver Police Department. Both matters are listed in the agenda materials on Denver Legistar.
When and where
The council will convene in the Parr-Widener Community Room at the City & County Building, 1437 Bannock St., according to the City and County of Denver. Public comment is scheduled for the later portion of the meeting, alongside a mix of committee bills, ceremonial proclamations, and several closely watched policy votes.
What to watch: whether council members approve the opt-out resolution and lean on Denver’s own preservation ordinance as the main tool for handling at-risk buildings, or instead allow the state’s right-of-first-refusal and right-of-first-offer system to stay in place for qualifying sales. The decision will dictate how fast the city can move when older properties hit the market and will signal how this council chooses to balance tenant protections with the constant drumbeat to add more housing.
