Cities sue Polis over housing mandate, cite threat to local control
By Bente Birkeland | Colorado Sun
A lawsuit filed Monday argues the state is violating the right of local governments to shape how they grow and develop
Six “home rule” cities in Colorado are suing the state, alleging it has unconstitutionally usurped their local authority over land use and zoning as it pushes communities to allow denser housing development.
The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of an executive order Gov. Jared Polis signed last week to withhold some state grants from local communities if they fail to implement a slate of recent housing laws. The cities say the order encroaches on the powers of both the General Assembly and the judiciary to say what the law is and is “beyond the governor’s authority.”
The cities are also asking the courts to f...