Share Your Input: Ideas from the Housing Subcommittee Relating to Contracts, Publications and Communications

The public is invited to join the discussion below to provide feedback on any one or more of the ideas from the Housing Subcommittee of the Task Force Related to the Rights of Coloradans with Disabilities. For each idea, the subcommittee invites your thoughts on: 

1. What do you see as the strengths or benefits of this idea?
2. What would be any areas of concern, unintended consequences or other implications?
3. Do you have specific revisions, additions or key elements relating to this particular idea that you would like the subcommittee to consider.

Ideas under consideration by subcommittees are posted on each subcommittee page. Prior to developing their actual recommendations, members are sharing initial ideas here with the public for input. In some cases, the subcommittee may share multiple ideas that address the same issue, barrier or challenge. Subcommittees are sharing ideas on a rolling basis, generally by topic. Please check back regularly throughout July and August for additional ideas.

*Please note: If you do not see an issue addressed in the ideas you review online for feedback, check the agendas, minutes and videos from the group meetings.*

Housing Subcommittee Ideas for Input: Ideas Relating to Contracts, Publications and Communications

1. Require all residential leases and associated legal agreements to be provided in plain language and in accessible forms.
2. Direct the CO Division of Housing to work with disability advocates, the new Colorado Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO) and others as appropriate to develop guidance and best practices for ensuring leases or other agreements and publications are accessible to individuals with a disability. 
3. Direct the CO Division of Housing to establish a position or office within the Division with at least one full-time employee to assist individuals with disabilities navigating the housing markets. The employee(s) should have appropriate training and knowledge working with individuals with a broad range of disabilities and their work should be informed by an advisory group of individuals with lived experience.
4. Consider state grants to non-profits, community organizations, or local housing authorities for dedicated programs to provide similar or complementary services to those described in Item 3 above in collaboration with DOH.
5. Require any publication or other advertisement for a property available for lease that lists any features of the unit or property to list all accessibility features which should include but not be limited to counter heights, grab bars, outdoor and garage available accessible parking spots, number of elevators and which common building amenities are accessible (pools, common rooms etc.)
6. Require any multi-unit property to list the number of available Type A units, Type B units, Type C units, units with accessibility related communication features (e.g. visual and audible) and units with roll-in showers.
7. Require that all jurisdictions include consideration of accessibility features in development approval and building permit applications.
8. Establish within an appropriate division of state government, an accessibility navigator position or office to provide technical assistance to property owners seeking to comply with requirements and meet greater standards of transparency of the availability of accessible housing. The office would also perform the roles in #7 above relating to development approvals and building permit applications where no individual performs that function in a jurisdiction.
9. Establish a statewide process and requirement for an accessibility report by a licensed architect or engineer on all properties when they are bought, sold or refinanced to confirm compliance with federal and state disability laws.