State · LIHTC 2026

LIHTC in Colorado: 2026 allocations, QAP and data

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) allocates Colorado's housing tax credits. The population-based part of Colorado's 2026 9% credit ceiling, before carryforwards and returned credits, is $20,538,908. That is $3.416 times 6,012,561 residents. Its 2026 private activity bond cap, which 4% deals compete for, is $811,695,735 ($135 per person).

$20.54 million2026 9% ceiling (population amount)
$812 million2026 bond volume cap
2172027 qualified census tracts
776monitored LIHTC properties in HUD's database

Agency and qualified allocation plan

Allocating agencyColorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)
Tax credit program pageCHFA LIHTC page
Current QAP2025-26 Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan (Second Amendment) (2025-2026)
QAP status2026 round runs under the 2025-26 QAP as twice amended: chfainfo.com link. Final 2027-28 QAP posted: chfainfo.com link

Agency and QAP links checked 2026-10-30.

2026 credit ceiling and bond cap

Item2026Per resident
Population (IRS Notice 2026-22)6,012,56120th of 52
9% ceiling, population amount$20,538,908$3.42
Formulagreater of $3.416 × pop or $3,953,600per-capita applies
Private activity bond cap$811,695,735$135.00
Formulagreater of $135 × pop or $397,625,000per-capita applies

Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 secs. 4.08 and 4.19 (the 9% amounts already include the 12% increase from Pub. L. 119-21 sec. 70422); IRS Notice 2026-22 (2026-15 I.R.B.). Computed by us and rounded to the dollar; agencies may round differently.

Only the population amount is shown. The full 2026 ceiling adds credits unused from 2025, credits returned by projects and any share of the national pool, which the agency reports in its allocation materials. See every state side by side on the 2026 ceilings and bond caps table.

Basis boost areas: 2027 QCTs and DDAs

HUD's 2027 lists, which apply from January 1, 2027, put 217 Colorado census tracts in qualified census tracts, spread across 29 counties. 11 nonmetropolitan counties are difficult development areas. In metro areas, 28 ZIP code areas (ZCTAs) are Small Area DDAs. A building in either can take 130% of eligible basis. Check an address with the QCT and DDA lookup.

Nonmetro DDA counties: Archuleta County, Chaffee County, Crowley County, Eagle County, Garfield County, La Plata County, Mineral County, Ouray County, Pitkin County, Routt County, Summit County.

Metro areas with Small Area DDAs: Boulder, CO MSA; Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA; Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA; Greeley, CO MSA; Pueblo, CO MSA.

Every Colorado qualified census tract, with its population, poverty rate and median income, is on the Colorado QCT list by county.

Source: HUD 2027 QCT and DDA designations, FR Doc. 2026-20390 (91 FR 63573, Oct. 6, 2026).

Tax credit properties in Colorado

HUD's database lists 776 Colorado properties financed with housing tax credits that the allocating agency still monitors, with 60,618 income-restricted units. The largest city totals are below; see all cities on the Colorado apartments page.

CityPropertiesRestricted units
Denver21317,004
Colorado Springs404,764
Aurora393,793
Lakewood292,865
Fort Collins332,649
Boulder322,265
Longmont272,036
Thornton121,783
Englewood171,691
Westminster131,648
CountyPropertiesRestricted units
Denver County20315,957
Adams County586,728
Jefferson County605,620
Boulder County725,508
Arapahoe County615,332
El Paso County444,956
Larimer County513,951
Douglas County172,264
Weld County251,675
Pueblo County311,428

For buyers and lenders: the Colorado Year 15 and Year 30 list shows which of these properties reach the end of the compliance period or the 30-year extended use minimum from 2022 to 2034, by county.

Source: HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024). City pages cover cities with at least five properties; county links go to that county's 2026 income and rent limits.

Financing a LIHTC deal in Colorado

A 9% deal in Colorado competes for CHFA's 2026 ceiling of $20,538,908 (population amount) under the 2025-26 Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan (Second Amendment) (2025-2026). A 4% deal needs an award from the state's $811,695,735 private activity bond cap: tax-exempt bonds must finance 50% of the aggregate basis of the building and land, or at least 25% if one or more of those bonds, from an issue dated after December 31, 2025, together finance at least 5% of that basis (the 25% bond test, for buildings placed in service in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025). Sites in Colorado's 217 qualified census tracts for 2027 can take the 130% basis boost.

On HUD's records for the 644 Colorado properties on this site's city pages, 37% of those reporting the field were financed with tax-exempt bonds and 49% took 9% (70% present value) credits; 253 received allocations in 2015 or later.

Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; HUD 2027 QCT list; HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024), bond and credit-type fields. What to read in a QAP: state LIHTC programs. Sizing a Colorado deal: get a financing quote.

State housing tax credit

Yes. Colorado State Affordable Housing Tax Credit (C.R.S. Title 39, Art. 22), awarded by CHFA through the QAP with federal credits. CHFA also runs separate TOC and Transit Zone credits. (primary source)

More Colorado data

Questions people ask

How much 9% LIHTC does Colorado get in 2026?

The population part of Colorado's 2026 housing credit ceiling is $20,538,908: the greater of $3.416 per resident or $3,953,600, applied to the 6,012,561 population in IRS Notice 2026-22. The agency's actual 2026 authority also adds unused and returned credits and any national pool share, so its own published figure can be higher.

Who allocates housing tax credits in Colorado?

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA). It awards 9% credits under its qualified allocation plan (2025-26 Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan (Second Amendment), 2025-2026) and sets the rules 4% bond deals must meet to receive credits.

Does Colorado have a state low-income housing tax credit?

Yes. Colorado State Affordable Housing Tax Credit (C.R.S. Title 39, Art. 22), awarded by CHFA through the QAP with federal credits. CHFA also runs separate TOC and Transit Zone credits.

Financing a Colorado tax credit deal?

Construction, bond, bridge-to-equity and permanent debt for Colorado 4% and 9% deals.

Get a financing quote