By Colorado Legislative Action Committee
The 2023 Colorado legislative session is fast approaching, and the CAI Colorado Legislative Action Committee (LAC) team is already preparing to ensure that we are working with our membership to protect the interests of community associations in our state. To that end, the LAC has engaged a new lobbying team. Taylor Hickerson with Policy Matters Colorado will be our primary point of contact. She and her team have already hit the ground running.
One of the main priorities with the upcoming legislative session is to propose a cleanup bill for HB22-1137, the Homeowners' Association Board Accountability And Transparency bill. As you know, HB22-1137 added numerous burdens to community associations regarding collections, foreclosures, and covenant enforcement. We hope to beneficially modify certain sections of the bill that do more harm than good to Colorado communities and the owners within them and to have the legislature clarify other portions of the bill that passed with vague and confusing language.
We're looking for sponsors in the Senate and the House that would support working with the LAC to move toward the priorities we've heard from you, our members — the voices who matter the most. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: removing or modifying the certified mail requirements; addressing the necessity of posting notices; removing the distinction between public safety/health violations and those that are not deemed as such; and addressing the maximum cap on fines at $500 in a manner that is logical, practical, and equitable.
We expect the cleanup bill to need a significant amount of support from our membership. We will need managers and homeowner leaders at the ready to testify about the impacts that HB22-1137 has had on their communities. These impacts may include increased expenses, owner complaints, and process issues. We also will need testimony about how the proposed changes will impact communities while still providing protections for owners.
The LAC also is engaging with a coalition of aligned organizations and stakeholders to build support for these and other initiatives while advocating for healthy, responsible communities. We anticipate that having additional support and a unified voice will substantially increase the likelihood of success on issues of vital importance for the future of Colorado communities.
As the legislative session ramps up, we will continue to provide updates to our membership. Make sure to follow along on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CAICLAC) for ongoing updates throughout the session and particularly, after we have results from the November 8, 2022 election this week. As always, feel free to contact Danaly Howe, the LAC chair, at any time with any questions. She can be reached at danalyclac@ccgcolorado.com or 970-484-0101 x101.
