DU Launches Housing Center to Tackle Rocky Mountain Affordability Crisis

DENVER, CO – February 12, 2026 – Confronting a regional housing crisis of staggering proportions, the University of Denver (DU) today announced the launch of the Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions (CHRIS). The new hub aims to forge data-driven solutions for the Rocky Mountain West, backed by an initial $2.65 million in philanthropic support from a coalition of influential foundations and organizations.

As residents across Colorado and neighboring states grapple with soaring costs and dwindling supply, the new center will serve as a critical nexus for researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders. The founding investment comes from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, ZOMA Foundation, Conscience Bay Research, and Arnold Ventures, signaling a significant public-private commitment to addressing the issue.

"The University of Denver is proud to play a central role in driving economic growth and opportunity in our region," said Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. "With the support of our philanthropic partners, this Center will help build a more resilient future for Colorado."

A Region Under Pressure

The launch of CHRIS comes at a moment of acute strain on the housing market across the Rocky Mountain West. The problem is not just anecdotal; it is a crisis quantified by stark, and often grim, statistics. In late 2024 and early 2025, the "Homebuyer Misery Index" climbed across all Denver metro counties, a reflection of near-historic home prices combined with high mortgage rates.

The human cost of these market forces is profound. In Denver, the hours of work required for an average-wage earner to afford a mortgage payment ballooned by 94% between 2015 and 2025, jumping from 50 to 97 hours per month. The situation is even more dire in other parts of the state, such as Pueblo, which saw a 157% increase in the same period.

This affordability crunch is a story of both supply and demand. The Denver metro area alone faced an estimated housing deficit between 64,000 and 135,000 units in 2024. While experts estimate the region needs to build between 37,500 and 55,000 new units annually to keep pace with demand, only 16,615 new home permits were issued in 2024. This chasm has left more than half of all Colorado renters "cost-burdened," meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing, one of the highest rates in the nation.

An Interdisciplinary Hub for Action

CHRIS is designed to be a direct response to this complex challenge. The center will operate on three core pillars: rigorous research and policy evaluation, market analytics and data sharing, and the education and development of housing professionals. By integrating expertise from DU's Sturm College of Law, the Daniels College of Business, the Scrivener Institute for Public Policy, and the Center for Housing and Homelessness Research, the university is creating a uniquely interdisciplinary engine for change.

"Sustainable housing solutions are best achieved when we work together with our partners across the region," said Susan Daggett, executive director of DU's Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute at the Sturm College of Law. "CHRIS is committed to delivering rigorous, locally grounded research that supports effective policies for our communities."

The center’s leadership emphasizes a focus on practical, actionable intelligence. The goal is not merely to study the problem, but to actively participate in solving it by providing reliable data and analysis to those with the power to enact change.

"By focusing on research, data, and education, we can create a comprehensive approach to solving housing challenges," explained Vivek Sah, director of DU's Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management. "Success for the Center is about becoming a trusted source for insight and practical solutions."

A Proven Model for Policy Impact

While CHRIS is new, it builds on a foundation of high-impact research already established at the University of Denver. A prime example is a 2025 study co-authored by DU's Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute, which analyzed the effect of Denver's mandatory parking minimums on housing development.

The study utilized a sophisticated simulation tool to model development decisions and found that eliminating these parking mandates could spur the construction of approximately 450 additional homes per year in the city. The research provided critical, data-backed evidence at a pivotal moment.

In August 2025, just months after the study's release, the Denver City Council voted to eliminate minimum parking requirements for new buildings. This policy shift, informed in part by the university's research, is expected to lower development costs and increase housing flexibility, particularly for smaller "missing middle" housing types like duplexes and triplexes that are crucial for gentle densification and affordability.

This success story—from rigorous academic research to tangible policy reform—serves as a blueprint for the kind of work CHRIS aims to champion on a larger scale across the entire Rocky Mountain region. The center is currently conducting a search for a founding Executive Director who will be tasked with building out a strategic plan and spearheading its initial projects, moving from a launch announcement to a fully operational force for housing innovation.