A new bill in the Colorado legislature will enable churches and other religious institutions to build housing on their land, even if the property is not zoned for residential construction.
Colorado Sun reports House Bill 1169 is sponsored by Rep. Andrew Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins), who is also a former Lutheran minister. The legislation will also allow public schools and universities to build housing up to three stories on their land – churches would be able to build higher if the neighboring buildings are taller.
“This can really move the needle in a meaningful way,” said Boesenecker. “We’re building housing where it makes sense, and really taking care of one of those huge question marks, which is can we get the land, and how much does it cost?”
The new bill is part of the “Yes in God’s Backyard” (YIGBY) movement, which is being presented as a counterbalance to the “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) label placed on opponents of building new housing in their communities. It is not certain how much new housing could be built if the bill becomes law, although supporters of this legislation claim there is at least 5,000 acres of undeveloped church land in Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.
