As housing costs continue to rise and the supply of housing declines, finding an affordable place to call home is a huge challenge for Colorado families. We have the second-worst housing deficit in the nation — at a staggering 100,000 homes needed to keep Coloradans in the communities where they work and raise their families.

Faith-based organizations and educational institutions are centrally located pillars of our communities. They tend to sit on large expanses of underutilized property that can be used for housing. However, costly and burdensome barriers exist in the form of overly strict zoning and red tape that prevents local institutions from providing housing options in the communities they serve.

House Bill 1169 seeks to empower faith-based organizations and educational institutions to create housing based on their community’s needs by leveraging existing land they already own. This bill would develop a predictable and efficient process for organizations to repurpose their land to build housing with their community’s needs prioritized and lessen infrastructure costs for local governments and taxpayers. Giving faith-based and educational organizations and educational institutions a straightforward path to building affordable housing on their land can speed up the process by nearly 28%, bringing solutions to Coloradans now.

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This is not a new idea to tackle our housing crisis. Faith-based organizations and educational institutions are often the largest landholders in their communities. Focusing on faith-based organizations and educational institutions is purposeful, as these institutions are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. Using underutilized land to promote growth means we can meet Coloradans and their families where they are by providing equitable, inclusive housing that keeps them in the communities where they live and work.

In the past two years, Solid Rock Christian Center in Colorado Springs has turned an empty field into 77 affordable housing units to meet the needs of low-to-moderate-income families. This has inspired more faith-based organizations to start converting their land into housing for residents making between 30% and 80% of the area median income.

Coloradans are worried about the rising cost of housing. Only 20% of for-sale homes are affordable for a teacher earning a median salary in their district. In Eagle County, where the supply of housing is limited and short-term rentals drive up the cost, Eagle County School District needs to find housing solutions for 80% of its employees. We must do right by those who form the backbone of our communities. House Bill 1169 would ensure educational institutions have a streamlined path toward building housing and promote living near walkable communities near city centers. That means less time spent in the car commuting to work, less sprawl, and more options for working Coloradans. 

We’ve heard from churches, mosques, temples and other faith communities across our state that want to build housing but worry about the red tape and bureaucracy standing in their way. Colorado is in desperate need of more housing, and together, we can remove these barriers and build more housing for hardworking families across our state.   

It’s time to take action for hardworking Coloradans. Everyone deserves access to a home that is affordable in the community in which they work and that fits their needs at every stage of life. House Bill 1169 can make that dream a reality for every Coloradan.

Andrew Boesenecker represents District 53 in the Colorado House of Representatives. Javier Mabrey represents District 1 in the Colorado House.