Colorado’s for-cause eviction bill signed into law

Dive Brief:

Colorado HB24-1098, which prevents landlords from evicting tenants or denying lease renewals without a cause, was signed into law by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on April 19.
Under this new law, known as a for-cause or just cause eviction law, evictions may only be carried out if a tenant or lessee is “guilty of an unlawful detention of real property,” creating a nuisance or disturbance, is damaging the property or meets one of a number of conditions for a no-fault eviction.
The bill received a number of amendments after it was introduced in January, including the removal of a requirement for landlords to provide relocation assistance in the event of a no-fault eviction. The list of no-fault eviction conditions for tenants has also been expanded.

Dive Insight:

Colorado is the sixth state in the U.S. to establish a just cause eviction bill, joining New Jersey, California, New Hampshire, Oregon and Washington, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. A previous iteration of for-cause eviction legislation in Colorado was introduced in 2023 but did not pass.

The no-fault eviction conditions include demolition or conversion of the property, substantial repairs or renovations, occupancy by the landlord or their family or withdrawal from the rental market. New additions since the bill’s first draft are refusal to sign a new lease with reasonable terms and a history of nonpayment of rent. Landlords must provide a 90-day notice in these cases.

The law also includes a change related to mobile home management, extending the notice period required before a manager can enter a resident’s mobile home from 48 to 72 hours.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado and the Community Economic Defense Project expressed their support for the bill when it was introduced.

The Colorado Apartment Association, which represents housing providers in the state, said that existing laws already protect tenants against unjust non-renewals of leases.

“Despite our neutral stance following requested amendments, the [CAA] continues to believe that the recently passed [bill] is unnecessary and leads to government overreach,” Destiny Bossert, government affairs manager for the CAA, told Multifamily Dive.

The association also noted that the bill did not cover situations where fault could not be proven.

“The Just Cause Eviction Bill overlooks critical scenarios … such as dealing with individuals who engage in illegal activities or neighbors causing significant disturbances,” Bossert added. “This legislative oversight leaves residents without adequate protection against unreasonable disturbances and does not provide housing providers with the necessary legal tools to effectively address these problems.”