(1) The division of local government shall provide technical assistance, materials, briefings, consulting services, templates, tools, trainings, webinars, or other guidance to assist local governments in: (a) Establishing regional entities that promote statewide coverage of local governments by housing needs assessments without unnecessary duplication for the purpose of conducting regional housing needs assessments and displacement risk assessments; (b) Creating housing needs assessments pursuant to sections 24-32-3703 and 24-32- 3704; (c) Conducting a displacement risk analysis with a state-created tool; (d) Identifying and implementing strategies, including in the directories described in section 24-32-3706; (e) Making and adopting a housing action plan in accordance with section 24-32-3705; (f) Enacting laws and policies pursuant to accepted housing needs assessments and accepted housing action plans that encourage the development of a range of housing types, including regulated affordable housing, or mitigate the impact of displacement in accordance with section 24-32-3706; and (g) Creating strategic growth elements in master plans as described in section 30-28-106 (3)(a.5)(III) or section 31-23-206 (1.5)(d). (2) In determining to whom it will provide assistance pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the division of local government shall prioritize requests for technical assistance related to: (a) Conducting regional housing needs assessments, if the department determines that the regional entity meets the requirements of this section and the assessment would promote statewide coverage of local governments by housing needs assessments without unnecessary duplication; (b) Conducting housing needs assessments and creating housing action plans contemporaneously; and (c) Enacting laws and policies to preserve or create regulated affordable housing, mitigate displacement, or increase opportunities for multifamily residential housing near major transit stops. (3) (a) In assisting local governments pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the division of local government shall provide funding through either a grant program, the provision of consultant services, or both directly to local governments or through a regional entity and shall prioritize funding and grant programs administered by the department for the purposes of this section, so long as doing so is not inconsistent with federal or state law. (b) Any consultant retained by the department to provide technical assistance pursuant to this section relating to housing needs assessments and housing action plans shall have demonstrated experience conducting high-quality housing needs assessments and strategic housing plans and engaging underrepresented communities, residents, and workers with disproportionate housing needs and challenges. (c) The department shall require, as a condition of any funding awarded to a local government to conduct housing needs assessments or create housing action plans pursuant to this section, that: (I) Unless no such person is available, any person providing services to the local government that will be funded by the award meets the requirements of subsection (3)(b) of this section; and (II) The local government use a portion of the funds awarded by the department to conduct housing needs assessments or creating housing action plans pursuant to this section to engage underrepresented and underrecognized communities. (4) Beginning January 1, 2025, and every year thereafter, the division of local government shall provide a report on the assistance requested by local governments pursuant to this section, whether or not adequate state funding is available to provide the assistance requested by local governments, and any additional resources that the division of local government or local governments have identified that would assist local governments in identifying and implementing laws and policies that would increase the availability of housing in Colorado. (5) (a) The division of local government shall serve as a clearing house, for the benefit of local governments and regional entities, of information relating to this part 37 and shall refer local governments to state and federal resources and appropriate departments or agencies of the state or federal government for advice, assistance, or available services relating to this part 37. (b) The division of local government shall identify opportunities for, encourage, and, when so requested, assist cooperative efforts among local governments in solving common problems related to population change and the implementation of this part 37. (c) The department may attempt to mediate disputes between local governments regarding the enactment of local laws or policies related to the creation of housing needs assessments and housing action plans pursuant to this part 37, interjurisdictional coordination or disputes regarding the development of land for residential uses, including regulated affordable housing uses and the provision of water and sewer services, and anything else covered by this part 37 or refer local governments to the list of mediators maintained pursuant to section 24-32- 3209 to assist in the resolution of such disputes. (6) (a) The housing needs planning technical assistance fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of gifts, grants, and donations credited to the fund and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund to the fund. (b) Money in the housing needs planning technical assistance fund is continuously appropriated to the department for the purposes of providing technical assistance and implementing a grant program pursuant to this section. (c) (I) On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer to the housing needs planning technical assistance fund: (A) Notwithstanding the allocation of funds described in section 39-29-110, or any other law to the contrary, ten million five hundred thousand dollars from the local government severance tax fund created in section 39-29-110; and (B) Notwithstanding the allocation of funds described in section 34-63-102, or any other law to the contrary, four million five hundred thousand dollars from the local government mineral impact fund created in section 34-63-102 (5). (II) This subsection (6)(c) is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.
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