Press Releases

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed three pieces of bipartisan legislation led by Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) to help address the affordable housing crisis in Colorado and across the country. Specifically, her bills update outdated zoning laws, increase housing supply, and expand access to affordable housing options, particularly in rural areas. 

In Colorado, there is currently a housing shortage of over 100,000 homes and apartments. Pettersen’s bills take important steps forward to address that shortage and encourage policies that help new housing development. 

“Housing is the number one financial pain point I hear about from constituents, especially in our rural communities,” said Pettersen. “We need an all-hands-on deck solution for the housing affordability crisis — that means removing barriers that are preventing construction of more housing and increasing access to options for families outside of major cities. I’m so proud that despite the constant chaos and dysfunction, my bills are moving forward, and I will keep fighting to see them signed into law.” 

Pettersen’s bills that advanced out of committee are listed below:

• The Housing Supply Frameworks Act: Introduced with Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE), the bill directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop frameworks for best practices on zoning and land-use policies to confront barriers to housing development and construction.

• The Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act: Introduced with Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE), this legislation highlights the restrictive practices embedded in traditional zoning laws, pushes communities to streamline excessive local regulations, and promotes greater openness in how neighborhoods are planned and developed.

• The Streamlining Rural Housing Act: Introduced alongside Congressman Stutzman (R-IN), the bill directs HUD and USDA to enter a memorandum of understanding, a formal interagency agreement to coordinate housing standards, reducing redundant reviews that increase costs and slow affordable housing development in rural communities.

Additionally, in the Financial Services Committee markup, Pettersen's amendment to improve the mortgage process for our nation's servicemembers and veterans was adopted and was also included in the package that passed. The amendment ensures that lenders are made aware of a consumer's veteran status at the beginning of the lending process so they can make the consumer aware of their potential eligibility for a VA loan.

Over her fourteen years in elected office, Representative Pettersen has made expanding access to affordable housing a cornerstone of her work in Colorado and in Congress. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee and Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, as well as a Co-Chair of the Real Estate Caucus and the Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) Caucus, she is currently leading the charge to tackle the national housing shortage by cutting through regulatory red tape and streamlining the development of innovative, low-cost homes.