DRCOG presents regional housing needs assessment; Littleton invited to review and comment by Sept. 12

Sheila Lynch, regional planning and development director for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), and DRCOG analysts presented a regional housing needs assessment to the Littleton City Council on Aug. 12, 2025, and urged local review and comment during the 60‑day review window the regional assessment triggered under state law.

The presentation explained why the assessment exists, what it found, and what next steps local governments may take. Lynch said the assessment was completed in July, accepted by the DRCOG board in October 2024, and later reviewed by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). Lynch told the council that DOLA provided conditional approval in February 2025 and notified DRCOG in April 2025 that the assessment was “substantially conforming,” allowing local governments to use DRCOG’s work to meet the statute’s requirements.

DRCOG staff said the law requires local governments to complete a local housing needs assessment by Dec. 31, 2026, unless they elect to rely on a regional assessment. Lynch explained the specific, time‑bound step DRCOG requested of Littleton: review the regional assessment at…