Boulder's commercial linkage fee, codified in BRC §9-13, charges new non-residential development by square foot to fund affordable housing. Rates vary by use (office, retail, industrial) and are updated periodically by city council.
Boulder Revised Code Title 9 chapter 13 imposes a Housing Linkage Fee on most new commercial construction and major commercial additions, recognizing that job-generating development drives demand for workforce housing. Fees are calculated per square foot and split by use category, with office typically highest and warehouse lowest. Revenue feeds the city Affordable Housing Fund, which supports Boulder Housing Partners, land trusts, and inclusionary projects. Some redevelopment receives partial credits for replaced floor area. Industrial and life-science conversions in Mixed-Use Industrial zones must pay before building permit issuance. Council reviews the fee schedule on a multi-year cycle.
Failure to pay the linkage fee blocks building permit issuance and certificate of occupancy. Underpayments discovered later trigger back-fee assessment with interest and possible permit revocation.
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See how Boulder's affordable housing linkage fee rules stack up against other locations.
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