Prepared by Diane Schwenke, HBA Governmental Affairs Consultant
Joint Grand Junction/Mesa County Housing Needs Assessment. As part of the Mesa County and City of Grand Junction’s Housing Needs Assessment process, Root Policy Research will be conducting two targeted stakeholder sessions with key housing partners in our community. One session will be held with Nonprofit Service Providers, and the other with the Housing Development Community. These groups bring critical, field-based expertise that helps ensure the Housing Needs Assessment reflects real-world challenges, system gaps, development barriers, and opportunities for practical solutions. Nonprofit service providers offer direct insight into the needs of residents experiencing housing instability, barriers to access, service coordination challenges, and emerging trends among vulnerable populations. Housing developers provide essential expertise on feasibility, land use constraints, financing structures, market realities, construction costs, and regulatory considerations that impact housing production. The Housing Development Feedback Session will be virtual on April 7th from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. To register go to: HNA Stakeholder Virtual Feedback Sessions Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
Why This Matters: The Housing Needs Assessment and new Housing Action Plan can either help developers create more housing (by incentives, etc.) or harm (adding inclusionary zoning as a strategy for example). It is important that the industry have a seat at the table to steer these documents from the beginning to insure a favorable outcome for homebuilders and homebuyers.
2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (CWRC) The Grand Junction City Council will be taking public comment on March 18th when they consider a resolution to adopt the CWRC developed by the State of Colorado. Mesa County adopted the code on February 24th. All local governments and fire districts must adopt this code by April 1st with implementation set for July 1st. There is currently legislation being drafted to delay implementation and make modifications that more closely align with the International Wildfire Resiliency Code as local government entities struggle with how to enforce the new code. Mesa County, Grand Junction and Lower Valley Fire District have chosen to do their own enforcement while others will likely work with Mesa County Building Department. In essence the code will mandate the types of building materials that can be used on structures and impose landscaping clearance standards based on which zone (red, orange or yellow) a property is in. To view the code map and search the status a property go to: 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Map
Why This Matters: The code as currently written is inconsistent with the International Wildfire Resiliency Code and will likely disrupt supply chains. It could lead to material shortages. In high risk areas (red) it will drive up the cost of home construction and remodels. As insurance providers were not part of the code writing process the stated purpose of reducing home insurance rates is doubtful.
Housing Affordability Task Force. The task force continues to meet and currently has small subcommittees reviewing and preparing recommendations related to TEDS and significant trees. The group has agreed to a staff recommendation regarding modification of pedestrian crossings which will be considered for a public hearing and action on March 4th. Bicycle storage had considerable staff scrutiny and is headed back to the task force for further deliberation. The task force, through Chairman Kelly Maves has applied for a grant through the National Association of Homebuilders to help fund a consultant that could work with task force members on some of the most technical aspects of review and recommendations for changes.
Why This Matters: In the past few years, the City has enacted code changes and process requirements that have slowed down applications and added unneeded cost and complexity. This task force will forward recommendations to City Council to mitigate those costs and speed up the application process saving homebuilders and developers time and money that can make housing more affordable.
Parks Impact Fee. After a fee adjustment recommendation was pulled from the City Council agenda on January 7th the staff has gone back to do a further review of how the parks acquisition fee portion of the parks fee is calculated. That review is still going on and there is no timetable for when the matter will be considered by City Council again. In the meantime, homebuilders are being charged the Parks fee that was adopted in March 2025 and implemented on January 1, 2026. There is nothing new to report this month.
Why This Matters: From the beginning of the study to raise impact fees last year HBA and GJARA leadership has argued that the cost per acre used to calculate the new parks fee was too high. What Council agreed to on December 15th will lower the fee on most new homes by $200 to $400 but the actual cost savings will likely be even higher once this effort is concluded and additional action by City Council is taken.
Council Member Ballard Deployment. A resolution to provide an exception to the attendance requirements for City Council Member Robert Ballard will be discussed at workshop on March 16th. In the Charter it lays out that if such a resolution is not passed and if a Council Member misses five consecutive meeting their seat is considered vacant. Council Member Ballard has committed to attending Council meetings via zoom for the duration of his deployment. Interested individuals are encouraged to attend the Workshop and observe the Council during their deliberations on this matter. It is important that the rest of Council understands that he is supported by the Community.
HB26-1054 and SB26-093. Two really bad bills are moving in the Colorado Legislature right now. The first, HB 1054 dubbed the Protections for Worker Safety Bill would basically recreate OSHA at the state level. It passed out of the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on Feb. 26th with amendments and is headed to Appropriations. The other, SB26-093 would require all general contractors and their subcontractors to show proof of insurance before building permits would be issued. It has been assigned to the Business, Labor and Technology Committee but has not been scheduled for a hearing yet. CAHB is opposed to both bills.