PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper visited Pueblo Wednesday to discuss the affordable housing crisis with local leaders, gathering for a roundtable focused on how the city plans to address the shortage.
"There's a shortage, there's a backlog," said Steven Trujillo, Director of the Housing Authority of Pueblo.
Fortunately, new legislation could make getting homes built a little easier.
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The 21st Century Road to Housing Law was passed by Congress in July. The law creates incentives for states and local governments to increase housing production and reduce barriers to construction.
"It's a huge investment in financing for affordable housing," Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper said the law also addresses corporate purchasing of residential properties.
"It also restrains that Wall Street can't come into your community and buy a bunch of houses, which raises the price, doesn't add any housing, just makes it more expensive for everybody," Hickenlooper said.
Trujillo said projects are already underway to provide more housing in the city.
"We actually have a project on the runway right now for a 47-unit development," Trujillo said.
Trujillo said reduced regulation under the Road to Housing Law is helping move that project forward.
"When I read some of that, I thought, boy, this is really gonna help us move that project along even quicker, and then subsequent projects, the minute we can get this one done, our eyes are on the next one," Trujillo said.
"It's looking at how can we be simpler and not have to go through all the red tape and bureaucracy when we're trying to build affordable housing," added Hickenlooper.
Trujillo said housing is a foundational issue for Pueblo's broader economic growth.
"We talk a lot about economic development and education and jobs, but I am of the opinion that sometimes we can't have those conversations if we don't know where people are gonna lay their head tonight," Trujillo said.
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