Today, Governor Jared Polis, Mayor Mike Johnston, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT), and Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) announced the launch of Housing Hub Colorado. This initiative aims to streamline the process for applying for affordable rental housing tax credits and related public funds.
Housing Hub Colorado is the first project to emerge from the Colorado Housing Consortium. The goal is to simplify and coordinate funding applications for affordable housing developments in Colorado.
“Colorado is breaking down barriers to more housing people can afford and this one-stop shop will help make that possible in more communities across our state. This effort will save people, and local communities, time and money when building new homes in Colorado,” said Governor Jared Polis.
“There is no greater need in Denver and Colorado than affordable housing, and no greater obstacle to our success than time,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “I’m proud to partner with Gov. Polis and the top minds in this space to get shovels in the ground sooner, build smarter, and ensure Denverites can keep living in the city they love.”
The initiative brings together several agencies and aligns application timelines. This reduces both time and costs for developers seeking public funding along with housing tax credits. The aim is to move faster toward creating more homes for Coloradans by supporting a coordinated system focused on ensuring every resident has access to stable housing.
A recent survey of applicants for housing tax credits found that 85% saw a statewide common application as the most significant opportunity for improving the process. Additionally, 65% reported that having to apply to multiple gap funding sources increased timelines and put projects at risk.
The effort represents collaboration among state and local partners committed to reducing bureaucracy, cutting duplicative work, and improving experiences for those developing affordable homes across Colorado.
The Housing Consortium was established by BuildStrong Foundation with support from McKinsey & Company earlier this year. It includes over 100 participants from private, public, and social sectors. Pat Hamill co-chairs the consortium alongside DOLA Executive Director Maria De Cambra. The consortium’s mission is to find solutions that lower construction costs and speed up development through cross-sector collaboration.
“We are focused on cutting red tape to save time and money. Ultimately, we want to create the Amazon of affordable housing finance in our state and make it as easy as possible to build, with the hopes that it saves money for Coloradans,” said Maria De Cambra, Executive Director of DOLA.
“CHFA’s mission to strengthen Colorado by investing in affordable housing and community development thrives on collaborative partnerships with organizations dedicated to the same goals,” said Thomas Bryan, Executive Director and CEO of CHFA. “Housing Hub Colorado marks an inspiring leap forward to boost efficiency and coordination while supporting the creation of more affordable homes for communities across our state.”
“A strong economy depends on good-paying jobs and housing Coloradans can afford. By simplifying the process of applying for funding, we are reducing time and cost burdens for communities and developers and accelerating the creation of homes near jobs and industry. We are proud to work with so many dedicated partners across the housing space to strengthen Colorado’s competitiveness, support local employers, and help Coloradans live in the communities they love,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.
“Fragmented processes and layering of requirements across government agencies can cause tremendous delays for builders when navigating funding related to affordable housing,” said Pat Hamill, Founder and Former CEO of Oakwood Homes as well as Chair of BuildStrong Foundation. “Housing Hub Colorado is the first step to accelerate housing development across Colorado. It’s exciting to see what happens when we come together as a housing sector to push forward solutions.”
“We heard it loud and clear from developers, removing barriers and accelerating delivery is one of their biggest priorities. Housing Hub Colorado will make it easier for developers to turn plans into homes,” said Jamie Van Leeuwen, Managing Director of BuildStrong Foundation. “This historic achievement wouldn’t be possible without leaders across sectors rolling up their sleeves and working together. We should be proud of the progress the Housing Consortium has made in just months, not years.”
Phase 1 introduces immediate improvements such as a centralized website providing timelines, instructions, resources; an aligned application spreadsheet used by CHFA, DOLA, HOST; unified narrative questions; a streamlined pre-application process at DOLA; removal of some financial documentation requirements; reduced required fields; plus a unified funding timeline so developers know when programs open.
These changes are intended to clarify timelines for stakeholders while reducing administrative burdens so projects advance more quickly.
Phase 2 will focus on further aligning agency processes toward a common application targeted for launch in 2026. Future steps include expanding into additional rental programs before moving into homeownership opportunities.
Accordingly, Housing Hub Colorado seeks not only improved efficiency but also stronger support systems as demand grows statewide.
