(1) The division of local government
shall provide technical assistance, materials, briefings, consulting services,
templates, tools, trainings, webinars, or other guidance to assist local governments
in:
(a) Establishing regional entities that promote statewide coverage of local
governments by housing needs assessments without unnecessary duplication for
the purpose of conducting regional housing needs assessments and displacement
risk assessments;
(b) Creating housing needs assessments pursuant to sections 24-32-3703
and 24-32-3704;
(c) Conducting a displacement risk analysis with a state-created tool;
(d) Identifying and implementing strategies, including in the directories
described in section 24-32-3706;
(e) Making and adopting a housing action plan in accordance with section
24-32-3705;
(f) Enacting laws and policies pursuant to accepted housing needs
assessments and accepted housing action plans that encourage the development
of a range of housing types, including regulated affordable housing, or mitigate the
impact of displacement in accordance with section 24-32-3706; and
(g) Creating strategic growth elements in master plans as described in
section 30-28-106 (3)(a.5)(III) or section 31-23-206 (1.5)(d).
(2) In determining to whom it will provide assistance pursuant to subsection
(1) of this section, the division of local government shall prioritize requests for
technical assistance related to:
(a) Conducting regional housing needs assessments, if the department
determines that the regional entity meets the requirements of this section and the
assessment would promote statewide coverage of local governments by housing
needs assessments without unnecessary duplication;
(b) Conducting housing needs assessments and creating housing action
plans contemporaneously; and
(c) Enacting laws and policies to preserve or create regulated affordable
housing, mitigate displacement, or increase opportunities for multifamily
residential housing near major transit stops.
(3) (a) In assisting local governments pursuant to subsection (1) of this
section, the division of local government shall provide funding through either a
grant program, the provision of consultant services, or both directly to local
governments or through a regional entity and shall prioritize funding and grant
programs administered by the department for the purposes of this section, so long
as doing so is not inconsistent with federal or state law.
(b) Any consultant retained by the department to provide technical
assistance pursuant to this section relating to housing needs assessments and
housing action plans shall have demonstrated experience conducting high-quality
housing needs assessments and strategic housing plans and engaging
underrepresented communities, residents, and workers with disproportionate
housing needs and challenges.
(c) The department shall require, as a condition of any funding awarded to a
local government to conduct housing needs assessments or create housing action
plans pursuant to this section, that:
(I) Unless no such person is available, any person providing services to the
local government that will be funded by the award meets the requirements of
subsection (3)(b) of this section; and
(II) The local government use a portion of the funds awarded by the
department to conduct housing needs assessments or creating housing action
plans pursuant to this section to engage underrepresented and underrecognized
communities.
(4) Beginning January 1, 2025, and every year thereafter, the division of local
government shall provide a report on the assistance requested by local
governments pursuant to this section, whether or not adequate state funding is
available to provide the assistance requested by local governments, and any
additional resources that the division of local government or local governments
have identified that would assist local governments in identifying and implementing
laws and policies that would increase the availability of housing in Colorado.
(5) (a) The division of local government shall serve as a clearing house, for
the benefit of local governments and regional entities, of information relating to
this part 37 and shall refer local governments to state and federal resources and
appropriate departments or agencies of the state or federal government for advice,
assistance, or available services relating to this part 37.
(b) The division of local government shall identify opportunities for,
encourage, and, when so requested, assist cooperative efforts among local
governments in solving common problems related to population change and the
implementation of this part 37.
(c) The department may attempt to mediate disputes between local
governments regarding the enactment of local laws or policies related to the
creation of housing needs assessments and housing action plans pursuant to this
part 37, interjurisdictional coordination or disputes regarding the development of
land for residential uses, including regulated affordable housing uses and the
provision of water and sewer services, and anything else covered by this part 37 or
refer local governments to the list of mediators maintained pursuant to section 24-32-3209 to assist in the resolution of such disputes.
(6) (a) The housing needs planning technical assistance fund is created in the
state treasury. The fund consists of gifts, grants, and donations credited to the fund
and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the
fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the
deposit and investment of money in the housing needs planning technical
assistance fund to the fund.
(b) Money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund is
continuously appropriated to the department for the purposes of providing
technical assistance and implementing a grant program pursuant to this section.
(c) Repealed.