If Gov. Jared Polis really wants to create more affordable housing, he ought to set aside his misguided attempt to override local land-use regulations statewide — and instead demand fellow Democrats in the legislature simply reform construction liability laws.
Exposure to runaway litigation over even minor flaws in home construction has chased a lot of builders out of the market for more modestly priced condominiums — once the starter home of choice for many of the state’s first-time buyers. Fine-tuning the laws that can trigger an avalanche of lawsuits would be a boon to building more affordable housing.
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And yet, as noted by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce’s new business news service, The Sum & Substance, at least one bill now gaining momentum in the legislature could lead Colorado in the opposition direction. It would foster litigation over single-family homes.