Boulder County Adopts $745 Million Budget for 2026 — Follow-Up Report

Boulder County Adopts $745 Million Budget for 2026 — Follow-Up Report

The Board of County Commissioners has adopted the 2026 Boulder County budget totaling $745 million. Key investments include $42 million for affordable housing initiatives, $28 million for transportation infrastructure, and $15 million for wildfire mitigation and climate resilience programs.

For questions about this program, contact Rachel Stein at Transportation: (303) 441-3843 or email [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-in services are available at the Longmont office without an appointment.

Colorado state law requires all counties to provide these services to eligible residents. Boulder County exceeds minimum state requirements by offering expanded hours, multilingual support, and online access. In 2025, the county received a state award for excellence in service delivery.

Details

Eligible participants include Boulder County residents with household incomes at or below 40% of Area Median Income (AMI). For a family of four, this is approximately $46,000 per year. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The program is modeled after similar successful initiatives in Larimer County and Jefferson County. Boulder County’s version includes additional provisions for wildfire mitigation, affordable housing, and environmental sustainability.

What You Need to Know

Climate considerations are central to this effort. Boulder County’s 2025 Climate Action Plan sets targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 85% below 2005 levels by 2030. This project contributes to those goals through energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy integration, and reduced vehicle miles traveled.