Denver rolls out 90-day review for affordable housing

Denver rolls out 90-day review for affordable housing

Published on June 22, 2026

Affordable residential development projects that meet key eligibility criteria are now able to apply for plan review and permits through an expedited process that will deliver a path to approvals in 90 calendar days, which include city and customer time.

City staff across all departments involved in the Affordable Housing Review Team (AHRT) developed the fast-track review process in collaboration with the Denver Permitting Office (DPO). Those departments are Community Planning and Development (CPD), the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), the City Attorney's Office, the Department of Housing Stability (HOST), Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR), the Department of Health and Environment (DPHE), and the Denver Fire Department (DFD). AHRT will now administer the process, which is a requirement of the state ballot initiative Proposition 123, approved by Colorado voters in 2022.

The implementation of Denver's Proposition 123 Fast-Track Process is one of two requirements that must be met by jurisdictions that chose to file a commitment that opts them into Proposition 123, which Denver first did in the summer of 2023. This commitment allows projects in the city to be eligible for various funding mechanisms created by Proposition 123, including the State Affordable Housing Fund. The work to create the process was supported by a grant from Colorado's Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).

"We will not rest until Denver is a place where everyone who wants to work and live here can afford to do so," said Mayor Mike Johnston, who led the coalition to pass Proposition 123. "This measure moves working families to the front of the line, cutting wait times in half and ensuring we're prioritizing the teachers, nurses, and servers who make this city go."

"Since it was created, the Affordable Housing Review Team has been an incredible asset in the city's efforts to help get more homes built for individuals and families of all incomes," CPD Executive Director Brad Buchanan said. "They have done great work not only in creating a pathway for affordable development, but also in getting projects through this new expedited pipeline."

"The Proposition 123 Fast-Track Process is an exciting evolution in Denver's ability to reduce the amount of time it takes to get affordable housing projects permitted, using our AHRT team to continue to provide high level project support," said Denver Permitting Office Director Jill Jennings Golich. "We've been piloting this process since the fall of 2025, and we've demonstrated it works. We appreciate the support we received from the Department of Local Affairs Planning Capacity Grant, which was instrumental in providing the resources to help us create this process."

"Shortening the review time for affordable housing in Denver is a true game changer," said DOLA Executive Director Maria De Cambra. "This means 5,000 units annually in Denver will be approved and completed faster. We're so pleased that Denver used DOLA's Local Planning Capacity Grant to make this happen."

What projects are eligible for 90-day review?

Denver's fast-track process applies to all qualifying affordable residential development projects that meet at least one of the following eligibility criteria:

• Half or more units in the project either meet the definition of "affordable housing" in state OR provide affordable housing that meets one of the following options:
• • Rented to families whose income is 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) or less
  • Sold to families whose income is 120 percent AMI or less
  • Deed restricted accessory dwelling unit (ADU)

• The project is funded by Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) to serve as a residential care or congregate living facility, or temporary managed community, serving families whose income is 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) or less. These include shelters and tiny home communities.
• The project is a Denver Housing Authority development with deed restricted affordable housing units.
• The project is funded by a Middle-Income Housing Tax Credit (MIHTC)

Projects that meet the criteria above are eligible even if they do not apply for or receive Proposition 123 funds. Visit the AHRT website or read the policy to learn more about the process.

About Proposition 123

In 2022, Colorado voters approved a ballot initiative to create the state's first dedicated funding stream to expand affordable housing, using a portion of state income tax revenue. The State Affordable Housing Fund will support various programs, including land banking, homeownership programs, and equity investments in affordable housing projects.

Nonprofit agencies, community land trusts, for profit and nonprofit developers, and local governments can apply for funding. To be eligible, projects seeking support from the State Affordable Housing Fund must be located in a jurisdiction that has completed a Proposition 123 Local Government Affordable Housing Commitment with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The commitment requires local jurisdictions to grow their baseline of existing affordable units by 3 percent for each three-year commitment cycle and implement an expedited (90 calendar day) review process.

Denver's 90-day fast-track process is separate from the city's 180-day commitment for all other development and permitting. The 90-day fast track process includes city and customer time, while the 180-day commitment includes only city time.

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BUILDING COMMUNITY: Denver Community Planning and Development (CPD) is responsible for visionary city planning and ensuring safe, responsible, sustainable building. We're working hard to make Denver a great place to live, work and play! Visit DenverGov.org/CPD.

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