Hardworking families across the state are impacted by the rising cost of housing and the shortage of available properties. Having the freedom to afford a home near where you work, go to school and make your life is at the heart of every Coloradan’s economic security, opportunity and well-being. Yet, the cost of buying or renting a home has doubled in the last ten years while wages have stagnated, causing too many people to spend more of their hard-earned income on housing and less on other essentials, like food and transportation.

Thanks to the efforts of Gov. Jared Polis, state lawmakers and local governments, House Bill 1152 and House Bill 1313 will help address our housing shortage. These bills create a framework for Colorado to address the housing crisis statewide while empowering local governments and homeowners backed by proven strategies that have helped other states experiencing housing crises.

Stay up to speed: Sign up for daily opinion in your inbox Monday-Friday

House Bill 1152 works to address Colorado’s housing shortage by giving homeowners the freedom to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), more commonly known as a “granny flat,” on their property. With the cost of housing rising, ADUs help families stay in the homes and communities they grew up in by providing a cost-effective way to help an older family member age in place, a college student struggling to afford housing, or even provide a way to generate extra income by renting out the ADU.

House Bill 1313 will help residents stay in their communities by building more attainable housing near jobs and transit by removing burdensome barriers. It will also provide financial assistance to cities and counties to empower local governments to meet the housing needs of their communities.

This work would not have been possible if not for the stakeholders who came together to find practical, reasonable solutions to alleviate the pressure the rising cost of housing has put on Coloradans. Centennial State Prosperity represents Coloradans from across the state who want to build a better life for their families. Working with a broad coalition of groups — including the Denver Downtown Partnership, whose primary goal is to build an economically powerful center city — allowed us to come to state leaders with innovative, research-backed policy to tackle housing issues.

The result? Two comprehensive housing bills that offer solutions to the housing crisis by cutting through barriers to build more attainable homes near jobs and transit, empowering local governments to meet community housing needs, providing financial incentives for housing initiatives, and protecting Coloradans from displacement.

We’re grateful for our state leaders who worked with policy advocates, local governments and municipalities to find solutions that are flexible yet comprehensive enough to create statewide impact.

We firmly believe these bills will make a significant dent in addressing our housing costs by making it easier for working people, young families and seniors to buy or rent a home. More Coloradans will be able to remain in state and in their communities.

Thank you, Gov. Polis, state legislators, local government and advocacy groups for working together to set reasonable, effective housing standards to help cities do their part to make housing more attainable, save people money and deliver more homes of all shapes and sizes. Thank you for passing House Bills 1152 and 1313.

Kourtny Garrett is president and chief executive of the Downtown Denver Partnership and Austin Blumenfeld is executive director of Centennial State Prosperity.