DENVER — Colorado lawmakers are hoping to lower the high cost of living through legislation focused on price gouging, "junk fees" and housing prices.
Like many Coloradans, Hannah Stickline often finds affording rent challenging.
“I moved in here paying $800 for a two-bedroom when I now pay $1,200 for a one-bedroom,” she said.
Stickline said the cost is made worse by extra fees added to her lease by her apartment management company.
“We pay a lot in those junk fees,” said Stickline. “It’s about $160 extra a month.”
Stickline said she wasn’t told about some of those fees before they were added to her rent.
“I was shocked when I got that first bill and it was considerably more than what I had ever paid,” she told Denver7.
Denver7 Investigates
Colorado lawmakers propose crackdown on 'junk fees' in leases
State lawmakers say enough is enough.
“They kind of nickel and dime you one little thing, and all of a sudden you’re paying so much more money every year,” said State Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora, who is one of the sponsors of House Bill 25-1090.
House Bill 25-1090 would require landlords to let tenants know upfront about additional fees they must pay.
“Just be upfront and be transparent,” said Ricks.
The proposal is part of a larger package of legislation Democratic lawmakers are pushing to address affordability issues. Another bill they’ve introduced, House Bill 25-1010, would ban price gouging on essential goods like groceries and toiletries.
“COVID reminded us that sometimes corporate bad actors hide behind economic disruptions to jack up prices and rip off consumers,” said State Sen. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of House Bill 25-1090 and House Bill 25-1010. “The years since COVID have illustrated that Coloradans deserve transparency about their purchases and protections beyond just declared disaster emergencies. That’s why I’m proud to sponsor legislation to protect working Coloradans by cracking down on surprise junk fees that add hidden costs and empowering the Colorado attorney general to take action against corporations who hike up prices beyond what economic realities justify.”
Denver
White House report says rent algorithms raised costs for Denver renters
A third bill, House Bill 25-1004, would regulate corporate landlords’ use of computer algorithms to set rents.
“They’re using algorithms to illegally collude to drive up the cost of rent,” said State Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, who is sponsoring House Bill 25-1004 and cosponsoring House Bill 25-1090.
A White House report released in December 2024 shows Denver renters paid an extra $136 per month to landlords who used rent-setting algorithms.
The Colorado Apartment Association, which lobbied against a similar bill last year, said computer algorithms are “a critical tool” that helps both landlords and renters by preventing underpricing and overpricing.
As for Stickline, she just hopes things get a little more affordable.
“Despite all this wonderful hard work, we’re still not where we need to be,” she said.
Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser filed a lawsuit against Greystar, accusing the corporate landlord of using deceptive advertising to lure tenants and jacking up the rental price through undisclosed "junk fees." Weiser also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Greystar and five other large landlords for allegedly conspiring to raise and keep rent high.
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