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The High Price of Home: Unpacking Colorado’s Housing Affordability Crisis
One In-Person Session
Wed., Nov. 5, 2025, 6:30-8 pm MT
FREE

Why are new homes in Colorado increasingly out of reach for middle-class buyers? This session unpacks the key forces behind the state’s affordability crisis—and why it’s so difficult to solve.

Leading the session is Eric Holt, who brings over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. His research into affordability, workforce development and homebuilding technology offers practical insight into one of Colorado’s most pressing challenges.

Cost pressures start even before construction begins, with surging land prices along the Front Range, where developable land is limited by topography and urban expansion. Extensive infrastructure requirements and Colorado’s unique water rights system add further premiums to development.

Municipal impact fees have also spiked, often adding tens of thousands of dollars per home to fund local infrastructure. Construction costs themselves are up due to volatile material prices, supply chain disruptions, and a chronic skilled labor shortage. Colorado's extreme climate necessitates specialized building methods that further elevate expenses.

Finally, developers face growing financial risks which they pass along to consumers. Insurance premiums have risen due to climate-related risks, marketing costs remain high, and profit margins must account for long timelines and potential market downturns.

Whether you’re a homeowner, aspiring buyer, or a curious community member, this session delivers eye-opening context into the factors pushing housing prices beyond affordability for many Coloradans.

is a professor of the practice at DU’s Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management. He has 30 years of experience in the construction industry, including as an architectural designer and a custom/production home project manager.