Joint Grand Junction/Mesa County Housing Action Plan. The City Council will once again discuss the Housing Action Plan at their workshop on August 31st. The Public Hearing and passage of the ordinance is slated for the Council meeting on September 16th. As of now the plan appears to be pretty modest in scope with no creation of a separate housing board or calls for a sustainable source of funding for housing. It and the Housing Needs Assessment do acknowledge and recognize the need for all types of housing…something that was missing in the work done two years ago.
- Why This Matters: As noted in the workshop packet Executive Summary, this Housing Action Plan will serve as the foundation for future housing policy discussions, program development and funding decisions for years to come.
Housing Affordability Task Force. The Housing Affordability Task Force has so far been successful in bringing the “low hanging fruit” to the Council for Action. One more is scheduled in the new future. See below for more information:
- An amendment to remove the code requirements related to Significant Trees will be presented at the GJ City Council for Action on September 2nd. The staff is opposed to this recommendation from the HATF. We do need people to show up and possibly testify in favor of this change.
- Negotiations are underway with a possible consultant to assist the task force with more technical changes that may be needed to the land use code and TEDS.
- The HATF will be focusing on segmenting remaining work into different sections from policy to process to systems and ultimately is working toward closing down the task force, which was always intended to be temporary.
- Why this Matters. The City Council has made affordable housing a priority and a majority of city council members are favorably inclined to make changes based on industry recommendations to the process and the code that will help lessen the regulatory burden and costs locally on housing. However, they need to hear from supporters to these changes.
AMGD. Tamra Ward and Paul Stahlke presented a ppt summarizing the housing needs assessment and the draft housing action plan to the group. On September 3rd, officials with the City of Fruita will be presenting information about the proposed metro district in the State. Kristi Pollard with Metro District Education Coalition will also be on hand to provide general background on metro districts.
- Why this Matters. AMGD is the one place where realtors, developers, contractors and homebuilders can come together, gain shared knowledge and support efforts to make housing more affordable. Anyone from HBA or GJARA is welcome to attend.
GJ Community Development Department Moving Forward. With Tamra leaving at the end of the week and still several vacancies in the Community Development Department representatives with the HBA GAC have scheduled a meeting with staff for this week to focus on a path forward that still allows for timely action on applications.
- Why this Matters. Time is money and there are already complaints about the time it takes to get through the Community Development process. Lack of staff might only exacerbate that situation so it is important that there is a collaborative effort to keep things moving at city planning.
SWMM Update. HBA representatives continue to meet with the staff and the consultant on each chapter of this rewrite of the manual as there are major changes that may not be the most appropriate way to deal with stormwater for our area.
- Why this Matters. Requirements in the SWMM affect the process and price of new home construction in numerous ways. A current proposal would require more land for detention ponds for instance…land that cannot then be used to build housing units on.
First Time Homebuyer Empowerment Act. H.R. 7468 is bipartisan legislation introduced in 2026 by U.S. Senators Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and in the House by Representatives Tracey Mann, Mark Alford, Lou Correa, and Tom Barrett. The bill aims to make homeownership more accessible by allowing first-time buyers to use unused funds from long-term qualified tuition programs (529 plans) toward the purchase of their first home. Up to $35,000 can be taken without penalty by a beneficiary of the plan that has been in place for at least 15 years as long as that beneficiary has not owned a home for at least three years.
- Why this Matters. Downpayment is often a barrier for young families trying to get into their own homes. Being able to use funds that were previously set aside for their education gives them another source of funding for these upfront costs.
WCHI. The Western Colorado Housing Initiative has a forward facing effort to focus on more messaging around housing policy along with applauding its champions and pointing out its detractors. It is also working to identify future leaders for various local elected boards and commissions and doing independent polling on key issues around housing to inform public policy discussions.
- Why it Matters. The value of having industry friendly elected officials cannot be overstated as evidence by recent City Council actions. There are community activists already working to ensure the three seats up for election in 2027 are held by progressives. Anti-development messaging is on the rise in local media and there has to be a counterbalance if members of the housing industry are going to continue to be successful in helping residents attain the American Dream of Home Ownership.
Garfield County Housing Summit. Plans are underway for the next annual Garfield County Housing Summit, September 2nd, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Ute Theatre in Rifle. HBA and WCCA are co-hosts along with two chambers of commerce in the county. The format will be a combination of presentations and table discussions around housing affordability measures that may move the needle. Registration is $25 and you can register here: 2026 Garfield County Housing Summit – Event Registration
- Why it Matters. Housing Affordability across the Western Slope is of concern to realtors, builders and developers. Collaborative efforts and the sharing of what “works” will benefit the entire economic region.