Northern Colorado / Weld County Landlord Guide 2026 Colorado HB 21-1117 (2021): No Rent Control Anywhere — Greeley Is the Weld County Courthouse Hub; Evans Is NOT Greeley; Windsor Straddles Two Counties; Firestone Carries a Unique Oil/Gas Disclosure Duty

Colorado HB 21-1117 and Weld County: no rent control, but authority exists

Colorado House Bill 21-1117, signed by Governor Jared Polis in April 2021, repealed C.R.S. §38-12-301 — the 1994 statewide preemption statute that had forbidden Colorado municipalities from enacting any form of rent control since the passage of Proposition 10. The 2021 repeal restored local rent regulation authority to Colorado municipalities for the first time in 27 years.

Crucially, this authority extends only to incorporated municipalities — not to unincorporated areas. Every city and town in this guide (Greeley as a statutory city, Evans as the City of Evans, Windsor as the Town of Windsor, and Firestone as the Town of Firestone) is an incorporated municipality and is therefore legally capable of enacting rent control under HB 21-1117.

As of 2026, none has done so. No Weld County city or town has introduced, voted on, or passed any rent stabilization ordinance, rent cap, rent board, or any other form of rent regulation. Weld County’s political and economic character — deeply tied to oil and gas, agriculture, meatpacking, and a conservative rural base — makes local rent control politically unlikely in the near term.

The practical implication: Weld County landlords operate under Colorado state law only. Any rent increase is permitted at lease expiration, with no cap, no formula, no notice requirement for the amount of increase, and no government approval. The only constraint is market competition.

Landlords should nevertheless monitor local governing bodies annually. Greeley City Council, Evans City Council, Windsor Town Board, and Firestone Town Board each hold the legal authority to change this picture with a single ordinance vote.

The Weld County courthouse hub: Greeley at the center

Weld County covers approximately 4,015 square miles — one of the largest counties by area in the continental United States. All judicial proceedings for the county — civil, criminal, probate, and Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) eviction cases — are centralized at:

Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631.

Greeley is the Weld County seat. The courthouse sits within Greeley’s city limits, in the heart of downtown Greeley, adjacent to the Weld County Sheriff headquarters, Weld County Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, and public health offices.

For landlords, this creates a hub-and-spoke geography unlike most other Colorado Front Range counties. Jefferson County (courthouse in Golden) is smaller and more compact. Adams County (courthouse in Brighton) has its largest city in Brighton. But Weld County’s vast geography means that Firestone landlords — in the county’s southwest corner — are effectively 30–35 miles from their courthouse even though they are in the same county as Greeley.

Understanding the Greeley courthouse as the hub is the first conceptual unlock for any Northern Colorado landlord portfolio. No matter which Weld County city a property sits in, the path to a Writ of Restitution runs through Greeley.

Courthouse distances from each city in this guide

City 1: Greeley — the Weld County seat

Overview

Greeley (~108,000 population) is Weld County’s largest city, Colorado’s fifth-largest by population, and the unambiguous urban center of Northern Colorado east of the Rockies. It is simultaneously a university city, an industrial meatpacking hub, a healthcare regional center, and the administrative seat of Colorado’s most productive oil-and-gas county. These overlapping demand drivers create distinct rental submarkets within a single city — near-campus student rentals, east Greeley workforce housing for JBS and oil-field employees, mid-range units for healthcare workers, and upper-tier SFR for oil-and-gas professionals and county government staff.

Greeley courthouse advantage: file in your own city

Greeley’s most valuable practical advantage for landlords is frequently overlooked: the Weld County Courts (901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631) are located within Greeley’s own city limits. Greeley landlords file evictions at a courthouse in their own neighborhood, while landlords in every other Weld County community must drive to Greeley.

The FED process for Greeley landlords:

1. Serve the 10-Day Demand for Payment or Possession (CRS §13-40-104(d); as amended by HB 21-1121, effective August 2021). The notice must state only past-due base rent — not late fees, utility charges, or other ancillary items. Overstatement voids the notice and requires re-service. Near-UNC landlords: ensure the notice is served on all named lease parties, including cosigning parents if applicable.
2. File FED complaint at Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley. Filing fee approximately $85–$175 depending on claim amount. Bring the lease, the 10-day notice with proof of service, and prior written communications.
3. Sheriff serves summons; hearing scheduled within 7–14 business days.
4. Writ of Restitution and lockout. The Weld County Sheriff posts the 24-hour notice and executes the lockout. Total uncontested timeline: approximately 4–6 weeks. Do not change locks, remove tenant belongings, or interfere with utilities before the Writ is executed — CRS §38-12-510 imposes up to $5,000 punitive damages plus actual damages and attorney fees for self-help eviction.

Greeley’s major employers and rental demand drivers

JBS USA — one of the world’s largest beef processing plants

JBS USA (1770 Business Center Dr, Greeley CO 80631), formerly known as ConAgra Beef Company and Excel Beef, operates one of the largest single-site beef processing facilities in the world. The facility processes thousands of head of cattle daily and employs approximately 5,000–6,500 production workers — making JBS Greeley’s single largest private employer.

The JBS workforce is diverse and reflects decades of immigration: Somali, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities settled in Greeley during plant expansions in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, establishing deep roots in east Greeley. Production wages range from $18–$30/hour (approximately $37,000–$62,000 annually full-time), driving demand for 1BR units at $750–$1,050 and 2BR units at $950–$1,350 in east and northeast Greeley.

Landlords near the JBS plant should be aware of two practical considerations: the plant’s rotating shift schedules (overnight and early morning shifts) affect when tenants sleep, when showings can be scheduled, and when maintenance requests come in; and the plant’s operations can produce odors detectable in east and northeast Greeley depending on wind direction, which is a material condition to disclose to prospective tenants.

University of Northern Colorado (UNC)

The University of Northern Colorado (501 20th St, Greeley CO 80639), founded in 1889 as the Colorado State Normal School, is Colorado’s third-largest university system by enrollment. UNC enrolls approximately 12,000 students: roughly 4,200 undergraduates and 7,800 graduate and professional students. The graduate-heavy enrollment profile distinguishes UNC from many peer institutions: UNC’s housing demand is anchored more by adult graduate students — many with families, fellowships, or graduate assistantships — than by traditional undergraduates.

The near-campus rental submarket (13th–20th Ave corridors, within 0.5 miles of campus) runs: studio $550–$900, 1BR $700–$1,100, shared house rooms $400–$650/person. UNC also employs approximately 1,200+ faculty and professional staff at salary ranges of $65,000–$180,000 — high-quality, stable long-term tenants for better-maintained near-campus units.

The critical near-campus lease structure consideration: many Greeley landlords near UNC offer both 12-month and 9-month (academic) leases. The 9-month lease (August–May) creates annual summer vacancy from June through August. At $900/month, a studio vacant for 3 months represents $2,700 in lost gross income. Landlords who price 12-month leases at only $50–$75/month above the 9-month rate typically find students selecting the 12-month option, substantially reducing annual vacancy costs.

Banner Health / North Colorado Medical Center

North Colorado Medical Center (NCMC; 1801 16th St, Greeley CO 80631), operated by Banner Health, is the primary acute care hospital for Greeley and the regional trauma and tertiary referral center for Weld, Logan, Morgan, and northeastern Colorado counties. NCMC holds Level II Trauma Center designation and employs approximately 2,200+ people across the full healthcare spectrum: physicians ($150,000–$600,000+), advanced practice providers ($80,000–$140,000), registered nurses ($55,000–$100,000), allied health professionals ($40,000–$80,000), and administrative and support staff ($28,000–$55,000). NCMC employees represent one of the most stable and income-diverse tenant populations in Greeley.

Weld County oil and gas sector

Weld County produces approximately 90% of Colorado’s total crude oil output. The DJ Basin (Denver-Julesburg Basin), underlying Weld County and adjacent portions of Wyoming and Nebraska, hosts operations by Civitas Resources (formerly Bonanza Creek Energy), OXY (Occidental Petroleum), and Chevron (which acquired PDC Energy’s substantial Weld County assets). The energy sector employs landmen, petroleum engineers, geologists, pipeline workers, and field operators at compensation levels of $60,000–$150,000+, generating demand for mid-range to upper-tier SFR rentals ($1,500–$2,200) in west Greeley and newer residential developments.

Weld County Government and Aims Community College

As the Weld County seat, Greeley hosts the full apparatus of county government: the Combined Court system, the Weld County Sheriff headquarters, Weld County Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, Treasurer, Weld County Public Health, and various human services departments. Weld County employs approximately 2,500+ people total, with the largest concentration in Greeley. Aims Community College (5401 W 20th St, Greeley CO 80634) serves approximately 7,000 students across its Greeley and satellite campuses, feeding workers into manufacturing, welding, medical assisting, HVAC, and information technology programs that align with Greeley’s industrial and healthcare employers. Aims students represent demand for affordable studios and 1BR units in west Greeley near the college campus ($650–$1,000).

Greeley 2026 rent ranges by submarket

City 2: Evans — the city that is not Greeley

Overview and the critical municipal identity distinction

Evans (~22,000 population) is one of the most misunderstood municipalities on the Colorado Front Range — not because of anything complicated about its law, but because of its geography. Evans and Greeley share a continuous urban boundary. Driving along 37th Ave, US-34 Business, or US-85, there is no visible indication of where Greeley ends and Evans begins. To a visitor, they appear to be a single city. Under Colorado law, they are entirely separate municipalities.

Evans has:

• Its own elected mayor — separate from Greeley’s mayor.
• Its own city council — passes Evans city ordinances, which are entirely distinct from Greeley’s.
• Its own police department — Evans Police Department, with jurisdiction only within Evans city limits.
• Its own municipal court — Evans Municipal Court, handling Evans code violations.
• Its own building and zoning department — permits, inspections, and zoning codes separate from Greeley’s.
• Its own utility billing — utility providers and billing entities may differ from Greeley even for adjacent properties.
• Its own school district — Evans is served by Weld County School District RE-4 (Weld RE-4); Greeley is served by Greeley-Evans School District 6. These are different districts with different schools, different boundaries, and potentially different quality profiles — an important factor for families with children.

A landlord who manages a portfolio spanning both Evans and Greeley addresses must maintain separate compliance tracks for each city. Marketing an Evans rental as “located in Greeley” is factually incorrect and may create tenant confusion about which municipal services, permit requirements, and utility providers apply.

Evans history: founded before Greeley, on Colorado’s first railroad

Evans was founded in 1869 on the Denver Pacific Railway — Colorado’s first railroad — making it one of the oldest incorporated communities in Northern Colorado, and predating Greeley by one year. Evans was named after John Evans, Colorado’s second territorial governor (appointed 1862). The city was founded at the confluence of the Denver Pacific line and the South Platte River, intended to become the dominant commercial city of the region.

Greeley was founded in 1870 as the temperance “Union Colony” by journalist Horace Greeley and agricultural editor Nathan Meeker, and it eclipsed Evans through organized irrigation agriculture and a tighter community structure. Evans is Colorado’s first incorporated town on the South Platte River. Evans residents carry a distinct civic identity separate from Greeley. Landlords who treat Evans dismissively as “the cheap part of Greeley” misunderstand the market and risk antagonizing tenants who take genuine civic pride in their city.

Evans courthouse proximity: one of Colorado’s shortest courthouse commutes

Evans is entirely within Weld County. The Weld County Courts (901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631) are approximately 1–3 miles from most Evans addresses — because Evans and Greeley are contiguous cities. This is one of the shortest courthouse commutes for any Colorado landlord. Evans landlords drive to Greeley to file, but the “commute” is less than 10 minutes.

Evans rental market: workforce housing for Greeley’s employers

Evans is not a standalone employment center — it draws its rental demand primarily from proximity to Greeley’s large employers: JBS USA (~3–5 miles), UNC (~3–5 miles), Banner Health/NCMC (~3–5 miles), and Weld County Government (~3–5 miles).

Evans’ value proposition as a rental market is straightforward: access to all of Greeley’s employment at 10–20% below Greeley’s rents. A JBS production worker earning $22/hour can afford a central Evans 2BR at $1,000–$1,350 more comfortably than a comparable Greeley central unit at $1,100–$1,500. UNC graduate students seeking to reduce housing costs find Evans 1BR at $750–$1,100 more accessible than near-campus Greeley 1BR at $800–$1,300.

Evans also has its own commercial employment base along the US-34 Business route (35th Ave corridor) and US-85 (the Greeley–Evans–Eaton highway), with retail, food service, automotive, and light industrial employers providing stable local demand insulated from Greeley commute considerations entirely.

Evans 2026 rent ranges by submarket

City 3: Windsor — the dual-county filing trap

Overview

Windsor (~28,000 population) is one of Northern Colorado’s fastest-growing towns and a genuine lifestyle destination among Front Range communities. Windsor Lake (one of the few swimmable municipal lakes on the Front Range), Water Valley (a private lake and golf community), and Pelican Lakes (resort-residential development with an 18-hole championship course) set Windsor apart from most Front Range communities where lifestyle amenities are measured in hiking trails rather than lakefront access.

Windsor’s rapid growth and its position between two major employment centers — Fort Collins to the northwest (~15–18 miles via US-287/CO-392) and Greeley to the southeast (~15–18 miles via US-34) — make it a true dual bedroom community. CSU Fort Collins campus is approximately 7–8 miles from Windsor, drawing graduate students and junior faculty who cannot afford Fort Collins proper.

The Weld–Larimer courthouse split: Windsor’s defining compliance complexity

Windsor’s most important compliance issue for landlords has nothing to do with rent control — it is the county boundary that runs through the town.

When Windsor began aggressive annexation in the 1990s and 2000s, it grew westward toward the Larimer County line. Some western and southwestern annexations captured parcels that crossed into Larimer County. As a result, the Town of Windsor now contains addresses in two different Colorado counties:

• Weld County addresses (the majority of Windsor): Most of central Windsor, the commercial corridors, the established neighborhoods, and most annexation areas are in Weld County. FED evictions for Weld County Windsor properties file at Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631 (approximately 15–18 miles east via US-34 or US-34 Business).
• Larimer County addresses (portions of southwest Windsor): Some western and southwestern Windsor annexation areas are in Larimer County. FED evictions for Larimer County Windsor properties file at Larimer County Justice Center, 201 LaPorte Ave, Fort Collins CO 80521 (approximately 15–18 miles northwest via US-287 and CO-392).

The Windsor 80550 ZIP code spans both counties. A ZIP code alone does not determine the controlling county. Neither does the street address, the neighborhood name, nor proximity to either city. A landlord who owns two Windsor properties on the same road may have one Weld County parcel and one Larimer County parcel — requiring two different courthouses for their respective evictions.

Filing at the wrong courthouse results in case dismissal. The landlord must re-file at the correct courthouse, pay a new filing fee, and restart the timeline — typically adding 3–6 weeks.

How to verify before filing: Use the Weld County Assessor property search at weldgov.com. If the Windsor address returns a Weld County record, file in Greeley. If it does not, check the Larimer County Assessor at larimer.org. If it returns a Larimer County record, file in Fort Collins. Perform this verification for every Windsor property you own, not just once — re-verify if the address is in a newer annexation area.

Windsor employers and dual-commuter rental demand

Windsor’s rental market is unusual because it draws from two distinct employment centers:

Fort Collins employer cluster (northwest, ~15–18 miles): Colorado State University (~7,000–8,000 employees including faculty, staff, and research positions) is the dominant anchor. HP Inc. (Horsetooth Road campus; inkjet R&D; ~1,500–2,000 employees), Hologic (medical devices; ~1,200+ employees), Poudre Valley Health System/UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital (~3,000 employees; Level II Trauma), and the Anheuser-Busch Fort Collins Brewery (~500 employees; 2351 Busch Dr) round out the Fort Collins cluster. CSU proximity — just 7–8 miles via Harmony Road or CO-392 — draws graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who cannot afford Fort Collins proper but want shorter commutes than most Weld County alternatives.

Greeley employer cluster (southeast, ~15–18 miles): UNC (~2,000 employees), Banner Health/NCMC (~1,700+ employees), Weld County Government (~2,000+ employees), and JBS USA (~6,000+ workers) all generate stable demand from higher-income Greeley employees who prefer Windsor’s newer construction and lake amenities. Windsor captures the upper-income tier of Greeley-employed renters.

Windsor lake lifestyle and premium rental tier

Water Valley (western Windsor; private lake and golf community; multi-lake system with boating, fishing, and beach access) and Pelican Lakes (resort-residential community east of Windsor; 18-hole championship golf; planned residential development) represent Windsor’s premium SFR rental submarket. Long-term rentals in these communities reach $2,200–$3,500+ for SFR properties, attracting executive and professional renters from both Fort Collins and Greeley, as well as remote workers and retirees drawn by lake access that is genuinely rare on the Colorado Front Range.

Windsor 2026 rent ranges by submarket

City 4: Firestone — the fastest-growing town with an oil/gas disclosure duty

Overview

Firestone (~15,000–17,000 population; formerly ~1,600 in 2000) has grown approximately 900% in 24 years — one of the fastest growth rates in Colorado. It sits at the I-25/CO-119 interchange in the southwestern corner of Weld County, positioned between the Boulder/Broomfield tech corridor (approximately 25–30 miles south) and the Longmont employment cluster (approximately 8–10 miles west).

Firestone’s rental inventory is unlike any other Weld County community: it is overwhelmingly investor-owned single-family homes and townhomes. Dedicated apartment complexes are very limited. This distinguishes it sharply from Greeley, where a full spectrum of rental housing exists. Firestone landlords are typically SFR investors managing 1–5 homes, not apartment operators.

The courthouse distance from Firestone is the most significant practical difference from other Weld County cities: Weld County Courts in Greeley are 30–35 miles northeast, a drive of 35–50 minutes via I-25/CO-119. Firestone landlords should budget this travel time into any eviction timeline calculation.

The 2017 Firestone explosion and SB 181: a unique disclosure landscape

On April 17, 2017, a natural gas pipeline owned by Anadarko Petroleum leaked beneath a single-family home at 6312 Twilight Ave, Firestone CO 80504. The leak ignited. The resulting explosion and fire killed Mark Martinez, age 35, and Joey Irwin, age 25, and injured a third person. The pipeline had been installed decades earlier, running directly under the home’s basement, connecting a nearby oil and gas well to a gathering system. Neither the homeowners nor Anadarko Petroleum had disclosed the pipeline’s proximity to the occupants.

The event triggered a state-ordered inspection shutdown of approximately 3,000 oil and gas wells statewide. Anadarko alone shut approximately 900 wells, and ultimately reached a $17 million settlement with the Colorado Attorney General.

More significantly for the long-term regulatory landscape, the 2017 Firestone explosion directly catalyzed Colorado Senate Bill 181 (2019), signed by Governor Jared Polis. SB 181 restructured the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) in two fundamental ways:

1. Mission change: The COGCC’s prior mission was to “foster and encourage” oil and gas development. SB 181 amended CRS §34-60-102 to make the protection of “public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources” the primary mission.
2. Local government authority: SB 181 expressly authorized local governments (including the Town of Firestone) to regulate oil and gas surface operations within their jurisdictions.

SB 181 also set the stage for the 2020 COGCC rulemaking establishing a 2,000-foot setback requirement for new oil and gas development from occupied structures (CRS §34-60-132 as amended). Critical limitation: The 2,000-foot setback applies only to new development permits issued after 2020. It does not require the abandonment or relocation of existing wells installed before the rule took effect. Weld County has thousands of legacy wells that predate the 2020 setback rules by decades. Many are in close proximity to Firestone residential neighborhoods.

What the 2017 explosion means for Firestone landlords: the disclosure question

Colorado does not have a specific residential rental statute requiring landlords to disclose proximity to oil and gas wells. However, two legal principles may create disclosure obligations for Firestone-area landlords with properties near oil and gas infrastructure:

1. Colorado CRS §38-12-501 (warranty of habitability): Colorado’s statutory warranty of habitability requires that a landlord maintain a rental property in a condition fit for human habitation. A rental property with a known gathering pipeline running under the foundation — a condition directly analogous to the 2017 Firestone event — may implicate habitability if the landlord is aware of the infrastructure and does not disclose it.
2. Common-law duty to disclose latent defects: Colorado common law imposes a duty on landlords to disclose known latent defects — conditions not visible upon reasonable inspection that the landlord knows exist. A buried gathering pipeline, an abandoned well with compromised casing, or a plugged-and-abandoned (P&A) well with unknown sealing integrity may qualify as a latent defect.

Recommended practice before leasing any Firestone or Weld County SFR: Run the COGCC online mapping tool (cogcc.state.co.us) and search for wells on or adjacent to the parcel. Note the Well API number, operator name, well status (active/P&A/shut-in), and spud date for any well within 1,500 feet. For any property with a visible wellhead, active gathering line infrastructure, or a documented P&A well within 500 feet, consult a Colorado real estate attorney about disclosure before executing a lease.

Firestone employers and bedroom community demand

Firestone is a bedroom community positioned between three distinct employment clusters:

• Longmont cluster (~8–10 miles west): Seagate Technology (Longmont campus; data storage hardware; ~1,000+ employees), UCHealth Longmont United Hospital (1950 Mountain View Ave; ~1,800+ employees; Level III Trauma), and Sunrise Medical Labs are the primary Longmont anchors.
• Broomfield/Boulder tech corridor (~25–30 miles south): Ball Aerospace/BAE Systems Space (1600 Commerce St, Broomfield; acquired by BAE Systems for $5.55 billion in 2024; GPS III satellites, GOES weather satellites; ~5,000+ employees) is the defining tech employer drawing Firestone commuters. Vail Resorts Inc. headquarters (390 Interlocken Crescent, Broomfield; ~1,200 corporate), and the US-36/Interlocken tech corridor contribute additional demand.
• Denver metro (~35 miles south via I-25): Remote workers and Denver metro office workers who relocated north during the 2020–2022 migration wave represent a significant segment of Firestone’s current rental and ownership market.

Firestone’s school district premium: SVVSD

Firestone is served by St. Vrain Valley School District RE-1J (SVVSD) — the same high-performing district that serves Longmont, Lyons, and portions of northern Boulder County. SVVSD consistently ranks among Colorado’s top large school districts for academic achievement and college readiness. The high school serving Firestone is Frederick High School (1000 Denver Ave, Frederick CO 80530; approximately 2–3 miles north of Firestone). Carbon Valley Academy, a highly regarded charter school, is also in the area.

The SVVSD premium is real and measurable: Firestone 3BR SFR properties in SVVSD feeder zones command a rent premium of $100–$250/month compared to equivalent units outside SVVSD boundaries. Landlords should document school zone assignments in rental listings, particularly for 3BR and 4BR SFR properties where family tenants actively prioritize school quality.

Note: “Carbon Valley” is an informal marketing term for the Firestone–Frederick–Dacono corridor. Firestone and Frederick are adjacent municipalities that are often marketed together, but they are separate incorporated towns with separate municipal governments.

Firestone 2026 rent ranges by submarket

Northern Colorado / Weld County employer summary: all four cities

Colorado security deposit rules for all Weld County landlords

All four cities in this guide — Greeley, Evans, Windsor, and Firestone — are governed exclusively by Colorado state law for security deposits. None has enacted a local deposit ordinance. Colorado Revised Statutes §38-12-102 through §38-12-104 apply uniformly.

• No deposit cap. Colorado imposes no statutory maximum on residential security deposit amounts. Market practice varies by city and submarket: near-UNC Greeley studios typically take $550–$900 deposits; west Greeley SFR typically requires 1–2 months’ rent; Windsor Water Valley SFR may take 2 months.
• Return deadline: 60 days (or 30 days with tenant’s written demand) after the tenancy terminates (CRS §38-12-103(1)). Treat 30 days as the internal operating standard for all properties.
• Itemized statement required for any partial return; each deduction must be listed by item and dollar amount (CRS §38-12-103(2)). A vague line item (“general cleaning: $300”) is less defensible than specific items with individual dollar amounts. Near-UNC landlords with annual student turnover should maintain a standard itemization template.
• Willful wrongful withholding: 3× penalty plus attorney’s fees and costs (CRS §38-12-103(3)). Examples at current market rates:
  • On a $1,100 Evans apartment deposit: willful wrongful withholding = $3,300 + attorney fees.
  • On a $1,500 Greeley central 2BR deposit: willful wrongful withholding = $4,500 + attorney fees.
  • On a $2,200 Firestone SFR deposit: willful wrongful withholding = $6,600 + attorney fees.
  • On a $3,200 Windsor Water Valley SFR deposit: willful wrongful withholding = $9,600 + attorney fees.

10 costliest Weld County landlord mistakes in 2026

1. Using the old 3-day eviction notice for non-payment. Colorado HB 21-1121 (effective August 2021) extended the non-payment notice from 3 days to 10 days for ALL Colorado landlords. A 3-day Demand for Payment served in 2026 in any Weld County city is legally defective — the FED case will be dismissed at filing. The landlord must re-serve a proper 10-day notice and restart the timeline, losing several weeks in the process. Update all template notices and property management software settings immediately. This is the most common cause of preventable eviction delays in Colorado.
2. Including late fees or utilities in the 10-day notice demand amount. The 10-day Demand for Payment must state only past-due base rent. Including late fees, utility charges, parking fees, pet fees, or any other ancillary charges can void the notice. If it’s not base rent, it doesn’t belong in the notice amount. Near-UNC Greeley landlords who bill utilities separately must be especially careful: a $50 overstatement can collapse an otherwise valid notice.
3. Filing a Windsor eviction at the wrong courthouse. Windsor’s 80550 ZIP code spans Weld County (courthouse: Greeley) and Larimer County (courthouse: Fort Collins). Filing at the wrong courthouse results in automatic case dismissal. Never assume all Windsor addresses are Weld County. Verify every Windsor property at weldgov.com or larimer.org before filing. This mistake adds 3–6 weeks to the eviction timeline and costs an additional filing fee.
4. Treating Evans as part of Greeley for municipal code compliance. Evans has its own city code, building department, permit requirements, and municipal court. A rental permit or business license obtained for a Greeley address does not cover an Evans address. Landlords with “Greeley area” portfolios must verify which city limits each address falls within before applying any city-specific code, obtaining city permits, or disclosing the city to tenants. The Evans/Greeley boundary runs along 37th Ave and adjacent corridors; properties on the same street may be in different cities.
5. Skipping the COGCC well lookup for Firestone properties. Weld County has thousands of legacy oil and gas wells. The 2017 Firestone explosion established that undisclosed pipeline infrastructure beneath a residential property can create catastrophic liability — not just from physical danger, but from potential claims under Colorado’s warranty of habitability (CRS §38-12-501) and common-law latent defect duty. Every Firestone landlord should run the COGCC mapping tool (cogcc.state.co.us) on every parcel before leasing. This is a 5-minute due-diligence step that has no analog in any other Colorado metro region.
6. Missing the 30-day deposit return deadline after written demand. If a tenant sends a written demand for return of the security deposit, the standard 60-day return deadline collapses to 30 days (CRS §38-12-103(1)). Treat 30 days as the operating standard for all Weld County properties, regardless of whether the tenant submits a written demand. A UNC graduate student departing Greeley in May who sends a written demand in June is entitled to their deposit back by July — not 60 days from their move-out date.
7. Pricing east Greeley units using west Greeley comparables, or vice versa. Greeley’s rental market spans a wide range: east Greeley near JBS ($750–$1,050/1BR) vs. west Greeley newer construction ($1,000–$1,500/1BR). A $250–$450/month gap exists between Greeley’s cheapest and most expensive submarkets. Using east Greeley comps to price a west Greeley listing, or vice versa, produces significant pricing errors. Always use neighborhood-specific comparable data.
8. Pricing Evans units using Greeley center comparables. Evans rents are consistently 10–20% below comparable Greeley units. Using Greeley near-campus or Greeley near-hospital comparables to price Evans units will produce overpriced listings and extended vacancy. Central Evans 2BR units lease at $950–$1,350, not $1,100–$1,500 as comparable Greeley units might. Use Evans-specific comparable data.
9. Offering near-UNC Greeley units on 9-month academic leases without pricing analysis. The 9-month academic lease (August–May) leaves units vacant from June through August. At $900/month, a studio vacant for 3 months = $2,700 in lost gross income, plus turnover costs (cleaning, re-listing, potential repairs). A 12-month lease priced at even $50/month above the 9-month annualized rate typically beats the 9-month structure financially. Analyze the full annual economics before defaulting to academic leases for any near-campus Greeley property.
10. Not verifying school district assignment for Evans properties. Evans is served by Weld County School District RE-4 (Weld RE-4), not Greeley-Evans School District 6 (which serves Greeley). Landlords who tell prospective tenants that their Evans address is served by Greeley-Evans SD 6 may be incorrect — and families who discover this post-lease may dispute representations made during the rental process. Verify district assignment at re4schools.org for every Evans address. Evans-area schools within Weld RE-4 include Valley High School and Evans Elementary School.

Northern Colorado / Weld County landlord compliance checklist

This 12-step checklist applies to all four cities in this guide. Steps with a city-specific note are marked accordingly.

1. Verify city limits for every address. Confirm whether the property is in Greeley, Evans, Windsor, or another Weld County municipality. Evans landlords: distinguish Evans from Greeley — they are separate cities. Windsor landlords: also verify Weld County vs. Larimer County at the assessor level (not ZIP code alone).
2. Run the COGCC mapping tool before leasing any Weld County SFR. Check cogcc.state.co.us for wells on or adjacent to the parcel. Critical for Firestone landlords given the 2017 explosion context; applicable to all Weld County landlords given the county’s oil/gas infrastructure.
3. Confirm the correct courthouse for your property. Greeley: Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave (in-city). Evans: same as Greeley, ~1–3 miles. Windsor (Weld County address): same as Greeley, ~15–18 miles east. Windsor (Larimer County address): Larimer County Justice Center, 201 LaPorte Ave, Fort Collins, ~15–18 miles northwest. Firestone: same as Greeley, ~30–35 miles northeast via I-25/CO-119.
4. Use the 10-day Demand for Payment notice template only. The 3-day notice is legally defective in all Colorado cities since HB 21-1121 (August 2021). The notice must state only past-due base rent — no late fees, no utilities. Serve on all named parties in the lease.
5. Document the lease with dated, signed acknowledgment. Include the property’s city (Evans vs. Greeley matters for tenants), the county (Windsor dual-county matters for legal notices), and any oil/gas disclosure addendum (Firestone and Weld County SFR).
6. Photograph the unit at move-in and move-out. Photograph every room, every wall, every appliance, and all exterior fixtures. Date-stamp the photographs. The 3× deposit penalty under CRS §38-12-103(3) is strict liability for willful wrongful withholding — photograph documentation is the first line of defense in deposit disputes.
7. Issue an itemized deposit return within 30 days of move-out. Even if the tenant has not submitted a written demand, use 30 days as your internal deadline (not 60 days). Each deduction must be listed by item and specific dollar amount.
8. Provide 24-hour advance written notice before routine entry. CRS §38-12-1102 (HB 19-1118): written advance notice required. A text message sent 20 hours before entry is legally borderline. Email with a timestamp or hand-delivered written notice at least 24 hours prior is the defensible standard.
9. Never engage in self-help eviction. Do not change locks, remove tenant belongings, or interfere with utilities before a Writ of Restitution is executed by the Weld County Sheriff. CRS §38-12-510: up to $5,000 punitive damages + actual damages + attorney fees. For Firestone landlords with a 35-minute courthouse drive, the temptation to shortcut the legal process is understandable — resist it. The legal timeline is the correct path.
10. Verify school district assignment for Evans and Windsor border addresses. Evans: Weld RE-4, not Greeley-Evans SD 6. Windsor: primarily Weld RE-4, but some border addresses may feed into Poudre R-1 (Fort Collins) or Thompson R2-J (Loveland). Verify every address at the district’s official enrollment tool. Misrepresenting school assignment can create tenant disputes.
11. Obtain separate city permits for Evans and Greeley properties in the same portfolio. A rental permit or business license for a Greeley address does not cover an Evans address. Evans is a separate city with separate permit requirements. If you have properties in both cities, maintain separate permit records.
12. Monitor local governing body agendas annually. Colorado HB 21-1117 (2021) restored rent control authority to municipalities. Greeley, Evans, Windsor, and Firestone are all legally capable of enacting ordinances. None has done so as of 2026. One vote by a city council or town board changes this picture. Set a calendar reminder to review each city’s council/board agendas at the start of each year.

Frequently asked questions: Northern Colorado / Weld County Landlord Guide 2026

Do any cities in Northern Colorado or Weld County have rent control in 2026?

No. None of the cities in Weld County — Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Firestone, Frederick, Johnstown, Milliken, Dacono, Mead, or any other incorporated community — has enacted any local rent stabilization, rent cap, or any other rent regulation as of 2026. Colorado HB 21-1117 (2021) restored the legal authority to enact rent control to municipalities, but no Weld County city has exercised this authority. All rent increases are uncapped and unrestricted.

Why is Greeley the eviction courthouse for Evans, Windsor, and Firestone?

Greeley is the Weld County seat. The Weld County Courts (901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631) are located within Greeley’s city limits. All Weld County FED (eviction) cases — from every Weld County city — must be filed at this courthouse. Evans landlords travel approximately 1–3 miles east to Greeley. Windsor (Weld County addresses) landlords travel approximately 15–18 miles south. Firestone landlords travel approximately 30–35 miles northeast via I-25/CO-119.

Is Evans CO part of Greeley?

No. Evans is a completely separate incorporated city from Greeley. Despite sharing a continuous urban boundary, Evans has its own mayor, city council, police department, municipal court, building department, and city code. Evans is also served by a different school district (Weld RE-4) than Greeley (Greeley-Evans SD 6). Evans was founded in 1869 on Colorado’s first railroad, one year before Greeley, and carries a distinct civic identity.

What is the Windsor CO dual-county filing trap?

Windsor’s 80550 ZIP code spans both Weld County and Larimer County. Weld County Windsor addresses file evictions at Weld County Courts in Greeley (~15–18 mi east). Larimer County Windsor addresses file at Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins (~15–18 mi northwest). Filing at the wrong courthouse results in case dismissal and re-filing. Verify every Windsor property at the county assessor level — never rely on the ZIP code alone.

What is the Firestone oil/gas disclosure obligation after SB 181?

The April 2017 Anadarko pipeline explosion at 6312 Twilight Ave, Firestone (2 killed) directly catalyzed Colorado SB 181 (2019), restructuring the COGCC’s mission. Colorado’s warranty of habitability (CRS §38-12-501) and common-law latent defect duties may require Firestone-area landlords to disclose known oil and gas infrastructure proximity (gathering pipelines, wellheads, P&A wells). Run the COGCC mapping tool (cogcc.state.co.us) for every Firestone parcel before leasing. Consult a Colorado real estate attorney for any property with visible wellhead infrastructure.

How does the JBS USA plant affect Greeley and Evans rental markets?

JBS USA’s Greeley beef plant (~5,000–6,500 workers; 1770 Business Center Dr) is Greeley’s single largest private employer and the dominant demand driver for east Greeley and Evans workforce housing. East Greeley 1BR: $750–$1,050. Evans 2BR: $950–$1,350. The JBS workforce includes established Somali, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities in east Greeley with decades of roots in those neighborhoods. Production wages ($18–$30/hour) drive demand for affordable 1BR/2BR units.

What are the UNC student rental market considerations in Greeley?

UNC (501 20th St, Greeley; ~12,000 students) drives a near-campus rental market (13th–20th Ave corridors within 0.5 miles): studio $550–$900, 1BR $700–$1,100. The 9-month academic lease (August–May) creates annual summer vacancy exposure. Pricing 12-month leases at $50–$75/month above the 9-month rate typically results in tenants choosing 12-month terms. UNC’s 7,800 graduate students provide more stable, year-round demand than purely undergraduate-dependent near-campus markets.

What are Colorado’s security deposit rules for Weld County landlords?

No deposit cap. Return within 60 days (or 30 days with tenant’s written demand). Itemized statement required for any partial return. Willful wrongful withholding: 3× the amount + attorney fees (CRS §38-12-103). No Evans, Greeley, Windsor, or Firestone local deposit ordinances. Colorado state law applies uniformly across all four cities.