A bill that would have lifted a 40-year prohibition on Colorado cities and counties imposing rent control in their communities was rejected by a Democratic-majority state Senate committee Tuesday evening. 

Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, joined three Republicans on the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee in voting against House Bill 1115, which failed 3-4. Roberts said he feels rent control measures could stifle the development of more housing and thus hurt affordability efforts.

“We need to do more of what we have been doing of incentivizing development, helping communities, helping nonprofit home builders, helping low-income people get into affordable rentals and affordable home ownership,” he said. “I just feel like this bill might unnecessarily or unintentionally harm the work we’ve been doing.”

The measure’s prospects were murky from the beginning, with Gov. Jared Polis indicating he would veto legislation allowing local rent control policies. The governor has instead sought to solve Colorado’s affordable housing crisis by increasing supply. 

Republicans at the Capitol were universally opposed to the measure. Several House Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the measure when it was debated on the House floor, indicating that the policy wasn’t universally liked even among Democrats. 

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