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).
Agency and qualified allocation plan
| Allocating agency | Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) |
|---|---|
| Tax credit program page | CHFA LIHTC page |
| Current QAP | 2025-26 Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan (Second Amendment) (2025-2026) |
| QAP status | 2026 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
| Item | 2026 | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Population (IRS Notice 2026-22) | 6,012,561 | 20th of 52 |
| 9% ceiling, population amount | $20,538,908 | $3.42 |
| Formula | greater of $3.416 × pop or $3,953,600 | per-capita applies |
| Private activity bond cap | $811,695,735 | $135.00 |
| Formula | greater of $135 × pop or $397,625,000 | per-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.
| County | 2027 QCT tracts |
|---|---|
| Denver County | 43 |
| Adams County | 33 |
| Arapahoe County | 29 |
| El Paso County | 20 |
| Boulder County | 15 |
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.
| City | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | 213 | 17,004 |
| Colorado Springs | 40 | 4,764 |
| Aurora | 39 | 3,793 |
| Lakewood | 29 | 2,865 |
| Fort Collins | 33 | 2,649 |
| Boulder | 32 | 2,265 |
| Longmont | 27 | 2,036 |
| Thornton | 12 | 1,783 |
| Englewood | 17 | 1,691 |
| Westminster | 13 | 1,648 |
| County | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| Denver County | 203 | 15,957 |
| Adams County | 58 | 6,728 |
| Jefferson County | 60 | 5,620 |
| Boulder County | 72 | 5,508 |
| Arapahoe County | 61 | 5,332 |
| El Paso County | 44 | 4,956 |
| Larimer County | 51 | 3,951 |
| Douglas County | 17 | 2,264 |
| Weld County | 25 | 1,675 |
| Pueblo County | 31 | 1,428 |
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
- Colorado 2026 income and rent limitsby county
- Colorado tax credit apartmentsby city
- Colorado QCTs and DDAs2027 lists by county
- Year 15 and Year 30 propertiesby county
- QCT and DDA lookupby address
- Monthly credit ratesIRS
- LIHTC in Californiaprevious
- LIHTC in Connecticutnext
- All statescompare
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.