Q2 Letter from the President

Hello AIA members!

One of AIA Colorado’s most important roles is the advocacy that it does on behalf of its members’ interests. The AIA Colorado staff, Board of Directors, and committees have been busy for the last few years and we are incredibly fortunate to have Nikolaus Remus, AIA, Advocacy Engagement Director, Jerry Johnson, lobbyist, and Mike Waldinger, Hon. AIA, CEO, on our team.

Guided by direction from the Board and the dedicated efforts of the AIA Colorado Government Affairs Committee, Committee on the Environment, and Housing Committee, we have been at the center of recent legislative action. With the Governor prioritizing policies to improve Colorado’s housing landscape, we have been actively engaging in the process, offering feedback on draft bills, collaborating with allies, and advocating for favorable legislation. At the same time, we oppose bills that undermine the value and interests of the architecture profession.

This year, we are working closely with the Colorado legislature to help alleviate the state’s housing crisis by advancing key policy reforms:

HB25-1272: Construction Defects & Middle Market Housing

Our focus is on reforming Colorado’s restrictive construction defects laws to make condo development viable again. This bill will create a new program for multi-family residential projects that construction professionals can opt into, offering increased liability protections if certain requirements are met. Highlights include:

A more robust Certificate of Review process that must be completed before naming an architect or engineer in a suit.
Promoting 3rd party inspections and better warranties that encourage correcting issues without resorting to a lawsuit
More clarity on what is considered actual and potential damage.
Increasing the minimum threshold for class-action lawsuits to 65% of HOA members

HB24-1273: Residential Building Stair Modernization

We are advocating for taller single-stair residential buildings of up to five stories, with a maximum of four units per floor. This approach is allowed in Seattle, Tennessee, and most of Europe, and has been shown by the Pew Charitable Trust to have no adverse impact on safety. This change would enable more creative designs on smaller lots, accommodating more bedrooms and reducing the space and cost dedicated to circulation.

AIA Colorado’s Housing Initiatives

Beyond our legislative efforts, we continue to strengthen our architectural community’s role in housing solutions:

Last year, we established a Housing Committee, laying the foundation for ongoing advocacy and action.
We also recently launched the Colorado Custom Residential Architecture Network (CRAN) to foster a vibrant community for architects designing single-family homes.

AIA Colorado Advocates in Washington, D.C.

In February, an AIA Colorado delegation attended the AIA Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., where we met with the offices of Colorado’s Senators and Congressional representatives to advocate for key legislative priorities:

Reinstating the R&D Tax Credit: restoring this valuable tax credit with its original one-year amortization and allowing firms to retroactively claim it back to 2022, when it was unexpectedly paused.
Renewing and expanding the 179D tax deduction: increasing the $5/sf. tax credit for architects designing and remodeling energy-efficient commercial buildings.
Renewing the 1099 20% pass-through deduction, which many architecture firms rely on.
Tax credits for historic buildings.
Protecting design freedom for federal buildings: ensuring that architects can continue designing in appropriate styles, as outlined by the GSA. The AIA successfully opposed an attempt during the first Trump administration to mandate Classical architecture as the only acceptable style for federal buildings, but this issue is likely to resurface.

Our advocacy efforts ensure that architects have a voice in shaping Federal policies important to the architecture profession and built environment.

Our Commitment to Core Values

AIA is a non-partisan organization, deeply committed to the values that define our profession and our work. We do not align with any political party, however we actively advocate for principles that shape a better built environment and a stronger architectural community.

At this moment, some federal policies challenge these fundamental values, and we remain steadfast in defending them:

Celebrating the benefits of a diverse, equitable and inclusive professional membership.
Addressing the climate crisis by recognizing the critical role buildings play in both contributing to and mitigating climate change, supporting sound science, and leading the charge to create more sustainable and resilient buildings and communities.
Advocating for housing for all as we believe that quality housing is a fundamental human right.
Honorable, thoughtful, and fair business and governance practices.

As architects, we are not only designers—we are leaders, problem-solvers, and advocates for a more sustainable, equitable, and just future.

Contribute to ARCPac

All of these priorities are built upon a foundation of good public policy. As the collective voice of our profession, AIA actively engages in civic discourse, advocating for architects through legislation and building codes at the local, state, and national levels.

Our state level advocacy efforts are amplified by ARCPac, which enables us to support state legislators who are allies of the architecture profession. It is the fuel that powers our advocacy work. 100% of your AIA Colorado Board has already contributed, and we invite you to join us in building on the impact too.

Make your contribution today to help us advance policies that support.

Contribute to ARCPac

We are all busy balancing careers, health, family, and friends. Sometimes it seems like there’s no extra bandwidth available to tackle big and often controversial societal issues. But as architects, we are leaders in the civic realm. We’re problem solvers, trained to come up with solutions and advocate for them effectively.

Individually, we influence our projects and our firms by setting good examples. Together, we have the power to create real, lasting change.

Scott Rodwin

President, AIA Colorado

About the Author

Scott Rodwin, AIA

President, AIA Colorado

President, Rodwin Architecture