To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Director, Community Resources; Bryan Weimer, Director, Public Works & Development
Prepared By:
prepared
Elizzebeth Loomis, Division Manager, Community Resources/ Community Development, Housing and Homeless Services; Jason Reynolds, Planning Division Manager/ Public Works & Development
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Subject:
title
Approval and authorization for County staff to apply for the State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Housing Planning Grant, including the Local Planning Capacity Grant Program and Incentives for Early Adoption of Fast Track
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The Board of County Commissioners is requested to approve the electronic submission of grant applications to the State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for the following funding opportunities: the Housing Planning Grant Program (SB24-174), which will support development of a Local Housing Action Plan and a comprehensive assessment of housing needs within Arapahoe County; the Local Planning Capacity Grant Program (SB24-1313), which will strengthen planning department capacity and improve land use, permitting, and zoning processes that support affordable housing development; and the Proposition 123 Incentive Grant, which will pursue early-adoption incentives for streamlining land use code updates and implementing affordable housing initiatives.
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Alignment with Strategic Plan: Economic Resilience and Stability - Maintain and improve affordable housing initiatives, including housing preservation and homeownership support.
Background and Discussion On November 17, 2025, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the Departments of Public Works & Development and Community Resources to submit grant applications to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for three funding opportunities: the Housing Planning Grant Program (SB24-174), the Local Planning Capacity Grant Program (SB24-1313), and the Proposition 123 Incentive for Early Adoption of Fast Track. These grants will support Arapahoe County’s housing planning efforts, strengthen planning capacity, and advance affordable housing initiatives. The Housing Planning Grant Program assists local governments with assessing housing needs and developing a Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP). Community Resources proposes using this funding to complete the LHAP required under SB24-174. A 25% local match of $62,500 is required and will be provided through the Dominium Tax Deferral fund, established following the BOCC’s 2018 approval of a LIHTC senior housing project in Centennial. The total grant request is $250,000, and the application is due December 3, 2025, at 5 p.m. Public Works & Development will request $200,000 through the Local Planning Capacity Grant Program, which requires a 50% local match of $100,000. Funds will be used to hire a consultant to support transit-oriented planning, development review process improvements, and targeted code updates. If awarded, the local match will be allocated as part of the quarterly budget supplemental process. This grant will enhance long-term planning capacity and support the County’s housing opportunity goals. The application deadline is February 16, 2026, at 12 p.m. The County will also pursue up to $50,000 through the Proposition 123 Incentive for Early Adoption of Fast Track, which does not require a local match. Arapahoe County may already meet eligibility requirements due to recent land use code updates and affordable housing incentives and will confirm eligibility with DOLA. If awarded, this funding will support the County’s continued efforts to streamline development processes and advance affordable housing.
Alternatives: The Board of County Commissioners may recommend alternatives to any of the recommendations listed above.
Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impact to Arapahoe County will include staff time to prepare and submit the grant and incentive applications, staff time to coordinate with consultants, and match funding from the Dominium Tax Deferral in the amount of $62,500, with the potential to receive up to $500,000 in grant funds if the applications are successful. As noted above, if awarded the full amount, the Local Planning Capacity Grant would require a $100,000 local match if the funding is fully utilized for comprehensive planning or comprehensive land development code updates. Public Works and Development (PWD) requests authorization to use 2025 revenue above the current budget to meet the local match requirement and will identify this funding during the 2025 Q4 Budget Supplemental process. Securing this level of funding in 2026 may present a challenge. It is important to note that local match percentages may vary by task, with DOLA requiring invoices to be categorized as eligible for either 80% or 50% reimbursement. If awarded the grant, a detailed scope of work will be developed for the consultant and included in the IGA with DOLA, which will define the local match requirements by task.
Alignment with Strategic Implementation Strategies: N/A
Concurrence: N/A