Proposition 123 

Proposition 123 created a Statewide Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF) in Colorado. Loveland is one of the many communities in Colorado that committed to creating a 90-day review process for affordable housing development and increasing the number of affordable housing units in the City by the end of 2026. This commitment benefits the community, helps diversify housing supply, and allows the City and local nonprofits, community land trusts, and developers to apply for SAHF funding.

Code changes to improve practices

To meet the goal of launching a 90-day review process for qualifying affordable housing development (starting with the City accepting an application and ending with the final decision on the project), the City plans to:

• Follow a step-by-step flowchart for the 90-day approval process that includes opportunities to coordinate before an application is submitted and discuss potential solutions during review
• Allow more housing types in more zones
• Present a package of code amendments for City Council approval that would simplify standards for small detached and attached units. Changes would include reducing the number of single-family lot types from nine to four, adopting small-lot requirements, and adjusting off-street parking requirements for smaller lots and multifamily units.

Research

The City worked for several months with a planning and design consulting firm called Framework to evaluate current practices, find ways to streamline processes and remove barriers to affordable housing approvals, and create an audit document to inform potential code changes.