Rent control rules in Denver, CO — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
Denver does not have rent control or rent stabilization ordinances. Colorado state law (C.R.S. §38-12-301) preempts local rent control, prohibiting municipalities from enacting ordinances that control rents on private residential property. Landlords may set and raise rents without government-imposed limits.
Colorado's statewide preemption of rent control has been in place since 1981. Under C.R.S. §38-12-301, no Colorado municipality may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution that would control rent on private residential property. This prohibition covers both direct rent caps and indirect controls like mandatory rent increase caps. Landlords must provide proper notice before rent increases (typically 21 days for month-to-month tenancies and 91 days for increases of more than 7.5% under recent Colorado legislation). Denver has focused on affordable housing programs, inclusionary zoning, and housing trust funds rather than rent control.
Not applicable. No rent control ordinance exists in Denver. Landlords who fail to provide required notice before rent increases may face tenant remedies under the Colorado Residential Tenancy Act. Retaliatory rent increases after a tenant exercises legal rights are prohibited under C.R.S. §38-12-509.
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