Search Publications

The General Assembly considered several measures related to housing during the 2025 legislation session, including bills that affect landlords and tenants, state housing programs, and residential building regulations.

The General Assembly considered several measures related to local governments during the 2025 legislation session, including bills that affect taxation and fees, permitting procedures, land use, and special districts.

This memorandum provides information on Colorado's construction defect laws and the various issues surrounding construction defects in Colorado. It summarizes the current construction defect laws in the state, provides a summary of a recent Denver Regional Council of Governments study of the Denver housing market, and gives a comparative view of the civil laws of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas as points of reference

Tiny houses are increasing in popularity as a housing option across the country. This issue brief provides a general overview of the various legal obstacles sometimes faced by individuals who want to own and live in a tiny house in Colorado. It also provides several examples of local and state actions to address the planning needs for tiny houses.

Colorado's Adult Protective Services (APS) system, first established in 1983, protects at-risk adults who, because of mental or physical ability, are unable to obtain services or otherwise protect their own health, safety, and welfare. In response to greater awareness of at-risk populations, between 2013 and 2016, legislation expanded the scope of the system by implementing mandatory reporting for certain groups and establishing protections for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Urban renewal provides a set of tools available to local governments to combat slum and blight conditions. This issue brief highlights urban renewal laws and financing in Colorado.

The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 1 creates a presumption in favor of public access to government documents. This issue brief addresses CORA’s two threshold questions: 1) what is and is not considered a public record; and 2) which public records are exempt from disclosure. It also briefly outlines CORA’s requirements for responding to an open records request.

Watch the video to learn about Property Taxes and the Gallagher Amendment.

In Colorado, sales taxes are imposed by the state government, counties, municipalities, and special districts.  Overlapping boundaries create 754 unique tax jurisdictions, many with different tax bases, rates, and administrators.  This issue brief summarizes information on how local government sales and use taxes are assessed and administered.

There are 86 courthouse facilities in Colorado: 71 courthouses and 15 probation offices.  This issue brief provides an overview of court and court facility funding.  Specifically, information is provided on state, county, and municipal court funding requirements and state supplemental funding grants available to assist counties with court security and facility costs.

Laws passed during the 2019 session related to local government addressed a number of topics.  This summary provides an overview of legislation concerning safety, county operations, special districts, property rights, business owners, and emergency service providers.

This memorandum describes how some states find new ways to share cybersecurity knowledge and resources with their local governments to improve the state’s overall cybersecurity posture.

This memorandum provides a legislative history of county courthouse funding in Colorado.  Specifically, this memorandum provides information on:

• the origins of county courthouse funding laws;
• notable legal decisions regarding county courthouse funding;
• county courthouse funding reports and recommendations; 
• bills introduced, but not enacted related to county courthouse funding; and
• county court supplemental funding grant legislation.

Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.

Final Report to the Colorado General Assembly by Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission 

This issue brief examines Colorado fireworks law, including permissible fireworks, sales, local government regulations, penalties for violating state laws, and executive orders.

This memorandum provides information on intergovernmental transfers of revenue from the state government to Colorado's 64 counties. Data from 2010 show that of $5.0 billion in total county revenue, about $1.3 billion or 25.8 percent came from intergovernmental transfers. The state portion made up the largest share at $800.9 million. State revenue transfers come from various taxes and nontax revenue sources.

Homelessness affects thousands of individuals and families across Colorado. Among U.S. states, Colorado has the 8th highest number of residents experiencing homelessness. This memorandum describes the scope of homelessness in the state and provides an overview of the programs and resources available to Colorado’s unhoused population.

A recall is a process that allows voters to remove and replace an elected official before the official’s term ends. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado is one of 19 states that allow for the recall of state and local elected officials.