Explore how Colorado communities are leveraging the CEDS roadmap to tackle housing, reduce redundancy, and drive collective economic success in a constrained budget environment.
The new statewide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is your vital roadmap, built upon the locally-driven insights and community input of 14 regional and two tribal CEDS documents. This regionally-informed strategy creates a unified vision for a resilient economy across Colorado.
We encourage local, regional, and state departments, elected officials, higher ED, and all economic and workforce development stakeholders to access and actively utilize both your regional and the statewide CEDS. These plans provide the strategic blueprint needed to craft impactful programs and policies that directly address the five statewide priorities.
We are at a critical moment.
Given that state, municipal, and county budgets are constrained, aligned strategies are crucial for reducing redundancy, increasing capacity, and intentionally aligning funding opportunities. By leveraging this shared strategy, we can move beyond fragmented planning to secure critical funding and build stronger, more robust, local ecosystems dedicated to shared prosperity.
This quarter, we launch our ongoing newsletter series dedicated to showcasing success stories from around the state that are actively addressing the five key strategies outlined in the Statewide CEDS (Housing, Job Creation + Business Development, Growing Key Industries, Quality of Life + Tourism, Community Infrastructure + Resources).
We kick off this series with a focus on Goal #1: Expanding housing access and affordability where community collaboration is essential to developing attainable options for every resident and worker.
Support the creation of and access to different types of housing options that meet the needs of each region’s workforce and residents.
Desired Outcome:
A housing market that reflects the unique needs of its regions, strengthening communities, and driving long-term economic resilience – with a range of attainable housing options for Coloradans of all budgets, near work, commerce, and transit.
Statewide Housing Examples:
Across the state, communities are turning strategy into action. From zoning reforms to school site redevelopments, local leaders are reimagining how to meet today’s housing needs—and CO|Align is here to support that work.
Jefferson County
Jefferson County is shifting from planning to implementation through its Jeffco Housing Blueprint, focused on households earning 60–120% AMI. The plan emphasizes zoning reform, land repurposing, and public-private partnerships.
Cardel Homes in Arvada and Westminster—transforming former school sites into attainable single-family housing.
Erickson Senior Living Campus—a 75-acre development with 1,350+ senior units that unlocks existing family housing stock.
Golden’s AVERE project—353 new homes bringing diversity to a high-demand housing market.
Lakewood’s 1881 Pierce redevelopment—a 14-acre public-private project for affordable/ workforce housing near transit.
Morgan County
City of Fort Morgan is planning more than 500 new homes across multiple developments, including the 214-unit Bijou Residential project, the 118-unit Legacy Townhomes, and Gateway/Cargill’s 60-unit build, all supported by updated infrastructure and long-term growth strategies.
Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson, & Lincoln Counties
By finishing its regional Housing Needs Assessment in 2025, the East Central COG is ensuring Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson, and Lincoln counties are in a prime position to capture state-level funding. This strategic effort identifies specific supply gaps, allowing these rural communities to move beyond planning and secure the investment necessary for long-term economic resilience.
La Plata County
Led by the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, the Housing Catalyst Fund is a public-private initiative activating early-stage housing development in La Plata County. The Fund has awarded over $612 to support planning for 12 housing projects across Durango, Bayfield, and Ignacio. In total, these efforts are set to deliver nearly 1,000 housing units, including 589 below-market units, addressing both affordability and supply gaps.
San Juan County
Silverton is tackling housing by transforming the historic Anvil Mountain smelter site into a growing mixed-income neighborhood. This complex project required layered funding, environmental cleanup, and bold vision. The phased approach delivered the Anvil Apartments (30–60% AMI) and innovative modular Anvil Townhomes, proving how high-altitude, rural communities can successfully leverage state and federal funds with local leadership.
Together, these projects reflect the many regions committed to land activation, zoning modernization, and community-scale solutions.
Haven't Signed the CO|Align MOU Yet?
Now’s the time. The CO|Align Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signals your support for a coordinated, peer-driven approach to economic development that reflects local priorities and strengthens statewide alignment.
We are at a critical moment. With state, municipal, and county budgets increasingly constrained, intentional alignment is no longer optional—it is the key to reducing redundancy and maximizing every dollar spent to grow our economies.
Join the CO|Align coalition for a free virtual session that breaks down the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) as your vital roadmap for a resilient Colorado. This session will explore the CEDS "nesting" architecture, illustrating how our statewide framework is powered by local action. You will learn how to leverage the five core strategies—built directly from 14 regional and 2 tribal priorities—to ensure your community’s initiatives are the driving force behind our collective success.
Discover how to move beyond fragmented planning to secure critical funding, increase capacity, and turn your unique regional priorities into a catalyst for shared prosperity.
Perfect for:
Municipal/County staff
New and existing Economic Development professionals
Local elected officials
Workforce and nonprofit partners
Higher Education and Community College Leadership
Business/Industry Leaders (especially those serving on boards)
Next quarter, our newsletter will dive into the second CEDS strategy: Job Creation + Business Development, focusing on how communities are building robust ecosystems to foster growth and opportunity.
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Share Your Wins with Us!
We’re always looking to highlight what’s working across Colorado. If you’ve got a great example of collaboration, innovation, or progress related to the Statewide CEDS goals—send it our way!
