On August 24, 2026, Housing Catalyst hosted a legislative roundtable and resident meet-and-greet at the Village on Impala Community Room. Convened by the Housing Catalyst Advocacy Committee of the Board of Commissioners, the gathering brought together board members, residents, staff, and state legislators to discuss affordable housing needs in Fort Collins and priorities for the upcoming 2027 legislative session.
The afternoon began with an overview of Village on Impala and Housing Catalyst’s role in affordable housing. Board members and staff shared how housing authorities turn policy and investment into stable, affordable homes while serving as long-term, locally governed partners in their communities.
The need for that work continues to grow. Fort Collins has a documented shortage of roughly 6,800 homes affordable to households earning 60% of Area Median Income or less, and nearly 55% of renters are cost burdened, meaning they spend at least 30% of their household income on housing. Housing affordability is also closely connected to the local workforce, with approximately 60% of primary jobs in Fort Collins filled by people who commute into the city.
Just as important, the meeting was designed to be a two-way conversation. Legislators were invited to share the housing and cost-of-living concerns they are hearing from constituents, priorities beginning to take shape for the 2027 legislative session, and opportunities they see for progress on housing policy. Residents were also invited to share their housing experiences and reflect on the role stable, affordable housing plays in their lives. Together, these perspectives grounded the discussion in both policy and lived experience, while exploring how local examples and housing authorities’ operational experience can inform state policy as it is developed.
Creating space for residents, policymakers, board members, and housing professionals to hear from one another helps connect policy discussions to the people and communities those decisions ultimately affect. Housing Catalyst looks forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening partnerships with state leaders as we work together to expand and preserve affordable housing opportunities in Fort Collins and throughout the region.
