CEDP March Newsletter
Happy spring! 2024 continues to be a busy year at CEDP. Read on to find out more about what we accomplished in March.
Here are some of the highlights:
We saw two important legislative wins at the Capitol in March as HB24-1098, For Cause Eviction, and HB24-1267, Metro District Covenant Enforcement Policy, both head to the Governor’s desk.
CEDP staff gathered to celebrate the first quarter of 2024 at our all-staff event.
Pre-applications opened once more for Colorado’s Temporary Rental Assistance Grant (TRAG) program.
We’re growing — CEDP has brought on dozens of new staff to meet the demands of our community, and we’re continuing to hire for several open positions.
Our Colorado Springs office has moved — find out all the details below.
FOR CAUSE EVICTION AND METRO DISTRICT WINS
The 2024 legislative session has proven to be a busy one for CEDP, and so far includes two major wins for Colorado renters and homeowners! HB24-1098, For Cause Eviction, will protect thousands of Colorado tenants who face unjust evictions and help stabilize more households in the communities where they work, where their children go to school, and where they’ve built a life. This legislation is sponsored by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Representative Javier Mabrey, and Senators Julie Gonzales and Nick Hinrichsen. We’ve advocated tirelessly for this legislation alongside the Keep Coloradans Housed Coalition after similar legislation died on the Senate floor last year.
Specifically, the For Cause Eviction legislation will:
Protect against racial and gender discrimination. The Fair Housing Act does not provide these protections to stop eviction.
Prevent households that rent from unnecessarily experiencing displacement and homelessness.
Reduce the number of evictions in Colorado and protect against displacement and gentrification.
Create long-term stability for tenants and landlords.
Save Colorado families money by keeping a roof over their heads and roots in their community.
HB24-1267, Metro District Covenant Enforcement Policy, was also passed by the Senate in March. Nearly 60% of Colorado homeowners reside in a metro district or HOA, and this bill will put guidelines in place that metro districts must follow. Most notably, HB24-1267 will prohibit metro districts from foreclosing on a property due to a resident’s overdue fees. HB24-1267 is sponsored by Representatives Iman Jodeh and Jennifer Bacon as well as Senators James Coleman and Chris Hansen. This is an important step toward protecting homeowners from predatory foreclosures, and we hope to have even more news to share concerning similar HOA legislation making its way through the legislature.
These are both significant legislative victories, and we hope to have more exciting wins to share soon. Three of our priority bills are still making their way through the legislature, including SB24-094, Warranty of Habitability, which recently passed its House committee vote and now heads to the House floor. We’ll keep you updated on the progress of this bill as well as HB24-1051, Towing Carrier Regulation, and HB24-1337, Concerning HOAs, in future newsletters.
CEDP ALL-STAFF CELEBRATION
At the end of March, CEDP staff gathered at the Denver Art Museum to celebrate first-quarter wins and connect. We’ve seen incredible growth in the first quarter as new staff have joined the organization, and this time served as a way to introduce everyone to the many departments at CEDP, the programs we administer, and to our broader mission. It’s always incredible to see everyone in person (and online, for staff joining remotely). Check out some pictures from the event below:
TEMPORARY RENTAL ASSISTANCE UPDATES
The Colorado Temporary Rental Assistance Grant (TRAG) pre-application portal opened in March from the 15th through the 20th. CEDP staff were available at our Denver and Colorado Springs offices to help tenants apply for these temporary rental assistance funds. We continue to see a high demand for rental assistance funding as evictions continue to climb throughout the state.
The next window for TRAG pre-applications will open on April 15th, and our staff will be available for those in need of assistance. To find out more and access the pre-application when it opens, visit the Colorado Department of Local Affairs website here.
WE’RE HIRING
CEDP is hiring! If you or someone you know might be interested in joining us in the fight for economic justice, check out our open positions on the Careers page of our website. We’re currently hiring for the following roles:
Legal Director of Benefits Assistance
Senior Attorney — Benefits
Staff or Senior Housing Attorney
Temporary Bilingual Tenant Advocate/Case Management (Hybrid)
Temporary Bilingual Tenant Advocate/Case Management (Remote)
Chief of Staff
Data Analyst
Grant Manager
Manager of Development & Analytics
Operations Reviewer/Specialist
Benefit Enrollment Specialist
Bilingual Case Manager
Case Manager, Team Lead
Housing Coordinator, Team Lead
Senior Therapist, Wellness Recovery Navigator
COLORADO SPRINGS OFFICE MOVE
Our Colorado Springs office has moved! CEDP’s new office is located in the Family Success Center at 1520 Verde Dr. Colorado Springs, CO 80910, Room 151.
IN THE NEWS
Our Head of State and Local Policy, Melissa Mejía, spoke with Denver7 and 9News about what the passage of HB24-1098, For Cause Eviction, will mean for Colorado renters.
CED Law’s Rebecca Cohn was featured in a story in Denver7 about the warranty of habitability issues residents of a Five Points apartment building have experienced.
CEDP’s Zach Neumann was interviewed for an Associated Press story on the high cost of housing and how it could impact the 2024 presidential election.
A story in the Denver Post shows how towing companies use their relationships with property managers to prey on renters. The story quotes CEDP’s Zach Neumann and discusses a CEDP-backed bill to address the issue.
GET HELP
The Community Economic Defense Project provides rental assistance, legal assistance / representation, and resource navigation for clients facing eviction, housing insecurity, and other types of economic hardship. If you need assistance, please visit our website and fill out an intake form here.