The Strong Communities Grant Program supports Colorado municipalities and counties in planning for sustainable growth and development patterns and developing affordable housing. Planning grants will help communities align policies and regulations to locate affordable housing in infill locations near jobs, transit, and everyday services. Infrastructure grants will provide funding to local governments for infrastructure associated with the development of community benefit-driven infill affordable housing that meets critical housing needs as identified by the local government.
Colorado House Bill 22-1304 established a new “Infrastructure & Strong Communities” program funded by federal stimulus funds that is collaboratively managed by the Department of Local Affairs Division of Local Government, Colorado Energy Office, and Department of Transportation.
This program will
- Develop a list of sustainable land use best practices and complementary educational opportunities (e.g., webinars)
- Offer grants to selected communities to:
- Invest in infill infrastructure projects that support affordable housing and are within or adjacent to a downtown area, core business district, transit oriented development, or include onsite early childhood care and educational services, and
- Invest in amending local policies, programs, and regulations to drive more sustainable development patterns, resulting in increased affordable housing options, decreased traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, and increased public and business health.
Learn more about the Strong Communities program.
Program Status
The Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Energy Office, and Colorado Department of Transportation are developing the program guidelines. The program is expected to launch the educational webinars in May 2023. The first round of planning grants will open in June, and infrastructure grants applications will open in the winter. All funds will be awarded by June 2024, and the program will run through December 2026.
Land Use Best Practices
The Strong Communities Grant Program is intended to incentivize the adoption of transformational practices, programs, and policies that support sustainable growth and development patterns and affordable housing into the future. This program will help communities align policies and regulations to focus on locating all types of housing in infill locations near jobs, transit, and everyday services; ensuring new neighborhoods have housing of all shapes, sizes, and price points and are connected by multimodal transportation options to the rest of the community.
The list of best practices in land use policy is intended as a guide as every community has different needs.
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Contact Information
Initial Interest
Direct inquiries regarding initial program interest to your Regional Manager. Use the program contact listed below once the initial process with your Regional Manager is complete.
Program Contact
Lisa Loranger
303.565.6200
lisa.loranger@state.co.us