Gov. Jared Polis last week followed up on a May executive order that would limit hundreds of millions in state grants to only communities that adhere to new laws on housing, land use and parking restrictions.

In May, the governor had threatened to pull at least $100 million in funding from local governments that have balked at the difficulty of implementing zoning, building codes, and other “affordable” housing changes pushed by the Colorado General Assembly over the last two years.

The executive order defines noncompliance as a nonsatisfactory completion of requirements outlined in those laws, a local government adopting a resolution or policy not to conform with them, or acting contrary to the directives in those statutes.

Polis hinted at an Oct. 6 deadline for state agencies to develop grants and other funding that could be subject to the executive order.

On Aug. 13, he released the list of 34 grants subject to the executive order, totaling $277 million, for the departments of Transportation and Local Affairs and the offices of Colorado Energy and Economic and International Trade.

In that order, the governor said “it is important to ensure that state funds are spent on local projects that lower the cost of living for Coloradans, including housing and transportation costs, and ease the pressure on our climate and natural resources.”

The order is meant “to support communities that are meeting Colorado’s housing goals and complying with Strategic Growth Laws.”

“I am directing relevant state agencies to ensure state grant support goes to communities that are stepping up to be part of our housing solution,” Polis said.

His administration is being sued by a half-dozen Front Range communities over the withholding of grants for cities that don’t comply.

While Centennial is not among the plaintiffs, council member Robyn Carnes said in May that voters in Centennial have “had enough of the partisan political retribution.”

“Our voters just want a government that works. One that values our identity, low taxes and high value government services,” Carnes said.

“Our residents didn’t move to Denver; they moved to Centennial for its unique and welcoming neighborhoods.”

Polis’ May order followed a decision by the Department of Local Affairs to hold up a wastewater funding grant for a municipality with discrepancies in its election records.

The following laws are covered under that order:

• House Bill 24-1007 prohibits residential occupancy limits; the compliance date was July 1, 2024.

• HB 24-1152 deals with accessory dwelling units, which could require zoning changes; the compliance date was June 20, 2025.

• HB 24-1304 tackles minimum parking requirements; the compliance date was June 30, 2025.

• HB 24-1313 outlines housing in “transit-oriented” communities; the preliminary compliance date was June 30, 2025.

• SB 24-174 delves into sustainable affordable housing assistance; the first compliance date is Dec. 31, 2026.

• HB 25-1273 focuses on residential-building stair modernization; the compliance date is Dec. 1, 2027.

• SB 25-002 dives into regional building codes for factory-built structures; the compliance date was May 8, 2025.

The Colorado Municipal League, which represents 275 cities and towns, said Wednesday the governor’s executive order is “an unprecedented expansion of executive authority that redirects state and federal funds from their legislatively intended purposes.

“The order conditions critical grant funding for Colorado’s municipalities on the administration’s arbitrary view of municipalities’ compliance with so-called Strategic Growth Laws that in many cases have no direct connection with the threatened funding programs.

“The Colorado Municipal League is concerned by the governor’s decision to unilaterally reshape funding eligibility without legislative approval or transparent rulemaking.”

Kevin Bommer, the group’s executive director, said Polis “lacks any authority to rewrite laws restricting funding to only so-called ‘pro-housing’ jurisdictions or to implement a strategic growth plan that has not been endorsed by the legislature.”