Housing
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Safe, stable, and affordable housing is a basic necessity and an essential foundation for economic mobility. Yet across Colorado, housing costs continue to outpace income growth, making affordable living increasingly unattainable.
Rising housing costs have the biggest impact on the least advantaged Coloradans. The majority of low income households in Colorado spend more than 30% of their income on housing, reducing opportunities to save for the future, invest in education, and move up the economic ladder. Federal housing vouchers reach only one in five eligible households, and federal policy shifts threaten existing funding for local programs.
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Across Colorado, community members, business leaders, and policymakers increasingly recognize the magnitude of the housing crisis. A recent survey by the Colorado Business Roundtable and Accenture found that sixty percent of Colorado employers cite housing costs as the biggest factor impacting workforce planning. Momentum is growing to move beyond siloed solutions and ground housing investments in what actually works.
There is also a growing evidence base for policy and programs that increase access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. A rigorous randomized control trial of Denver’s Permanent Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond project demonstrated significant reductions in jail stays, arrests, and shelter days when housing support is paired with wrap-around services.
This moment coincides with major federal and state policy momentum, including the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Colorado is already a national leader in policy reform, having advanced key provisions such as single-stair point access construction, cataloging public lands for development, and expanding modular housing.
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CEEMI brings a dedicated, evidence-based lens to Colorado’s housing ecosystem. We focus on identifying and expanding effective interventions to:
increase housing supply of all types;
expand neighborhood choice;
protect families by keeping them housed;
and restore stability for those experiencing homelessness or eviction.
By pairing rigorous evidence with the lived experiences of Coloradans, we help direct public and philanthropic funding to housing investments that deliver measurable, lasting economic mobility for families across Colorado.
