Arapahoe County will now be more competitive in securing state affordable housing grants, following an update to its Land Development Code (LDC), approved by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in November.  

The LDC updates include promoting sustainable, stable, safe, and attractive new neighborhoods that contain a mix of land uses and diversified housing options, including housing that is affordable and attainable. Changes also ensure the creation of diverse affordable housing types to accommodate all age groups, incomes, and family sizes as well as residents with special needs. 

“This measure will help our County devise solutions to deal with the current crisis we face with housing,” said Commissioner Jeff Baker.  

In 2021, the General Assembly created three new programs to distribute $6.8 million in planning grants to local governments to promote innovative solutions around affordable housing. Applications for the grants started this year.  

The State grant program outlines 16 affordable housing strategies that municipalities, cities, and counties can use to qualify for grant awards, which range between $50,000 to $200,000. To qualify, applicants must include at least three of the 16 strategies in their grant application. 

Prior to the update, the County met the minimum of three strategies. County Planners said by expanding codes to outline how it supports affordable housing, the County will meet more of the strategies, which could improve the chances of securing money in a competitive grant process.