Under Colorado law, your landlord can give you the heave-ho with as little as seven days’ advance notice if you are renting month-to-month. And you can be blindsided at any time with a rent hike.

That’s not much time to pack — or to hit up your folks for some extra cash to help you stay put. Things are tough in the superheated real estate market along much of the Front Range.

A bipartisan bill that already passed the Senate and made it through the House Local Affairs Committee today will afford tenants more breathing room.

Senate Bill 245, introduced in the upper chamber by Republican Sen. Kevin Priola of Henderson and carried in the House by Democratic Rep. Dan Pabon of Denver, moves back the notice period to 21 days for ending a lease and applies the same period for notifying tenants of a rent increase.

It’s a double-edged sword, of course; tenants also would have to notify landlords 21 days ahead of time if they are going to move out. Otherwise, they could be liable for another month’s rent. The idea is to give landlords a chance to advertise for a new tenant.

A news release from the House Democrats quotes Pabon:

“When faced with termination or a rent increase you can’t afford, seven days — and even three weeks — is not very long to find a new place and move your family and all your belongings…This is a very modest approach.”

The press statement also notes:

A representative of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless testified that short-notice terminations often result in homelessness, with its many dire consequences.

The Colorado Center on Law & Policy, the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Colorado Senior Lobby, the Denver Regional Council of Governments and the AARP also turned out for today’s committee hearing to voice support, according to the House Democratic press office. No one testified in opposition.