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Centennial, CO · Arapahoe County · Population ~115,000 (Incorporated 2001) · No Local Rent Control (HB 21-1117 2021; Centennial Has NOT Enacted Ordinance) · 10-Day Non-Payment Notice · 60-Day Deposit Return 3× Willful Withholding · Arrow Electronics Fortune 500 Global HQ ~7,500 Employees · Raytheon Intelligence & Space Colorado Defense Corridor ~3,000 · DISH Network / EchoStar Meridian ~3,000 · United Launch Alliance ULA HQ · Denver Tech Center DTC Adjacent · Arapahoe County Court IS IN Centennial (7325 S. Potomac St)

Centennial CO rent increase 2026 Centennial, Colorado has no local rent control ordinance. Colorado HB 21-1117 (April 2021) repealed the statewide rent control preemption (Prop. 10 / CRS §38-12-301 from 1994), returning local authority to cities — but Centennial City Council has NOT enacted any local rent stabilization or rent increase ordinance. Centennial landlords may raise rent freely. CRS §38-12: no deposit cap; 60-day return (or 30 days with written demand); 3× willful wrongful withholding + attorney fees. 10-day non-payment notice (CRS §13-40-104; HB 21-1121). Arapahoe County; ~115,000 population; incorporated 2001. Arrow Electronics (9201 E. Dry Creek Rd; Fortune 500 global HQ; ~7,500 Centennial employees). Raytheon Intelligence & Space (~3,000 Centennial engineers; Colorado Defense Corridor). DISH Network / EchoStar (Meridian Business Park; ~3,000 employees). United Launch Alliance HQ (9501 E. Dry Creek Rd). Denver Tech Center (DTC) adjacent. Arapahoe County Court (7325 S. Potomac St, Centennial CO 80112) — the courthouse is in Centennial.

Centennial, Colorado — one of the largest newly incorporated cities in American history (~100,000 residents at its 2001 founding), home to the Arrow Electronics Fortune 500 headquarters, the Colorado aerospace defense corridor, and the Denver Tech Center adjacency — has no local rent control ordinance. Centennial landlords may raise rent freely at lease expiration.

Centennial landlords operate under Colorado state landlord-tenant law (CRS Chapter 38-12): no deposit cap, 60-day return deadline (or 30 days with written demand), and a significant 3× penalty for willful wrongful withholding. Non-payment evictions require a 10-day notice before filing at the Arapahoe County Court — which is conveniently located in Centennial itself.

Centennial’s concentration of Fortune 500, aerospace, defense, and tech employers makes it one of the highest-income and highest-rent suburban markets in Colorado, with 1BR rents frequently exceeding $2,000/month in the DTC-adjacent and Meridian corridor areas.

Centennial 2026 rent control status: quick reference

Question Answer
Rent control in Centennial? None. Colorado HB 21-1117 (2021) returned local authority; Centennial has NOT enacted any ordinance.
Annual rent increase cap? No cap. Any amount at renewal or with appropriate notice (month-to-month).
Security deposit cap? No statutory cap. Any agreed amount; market norm is 1–2 months’ rent.
Deposit return deadline? 60 days (or 30 days with tenant’s written demand) after tenancy ends (CRS §38-12-103(1)).
Penalty for willful deposit withholding? 3× amount wrongfully withheld + attorney fees (CRS §38-12-103(3)). Willful violations only.
Notice for month-to-month rent increase? 21–28 days written notice best practice (mirrors CRS §13-40-107 termination notice).
Entry notice requirement? 24 hours advance written notice for routine entry (CRS §38-12-1102; HB 19-1118).
Non-payment eviction notice? 10-day Demand for Payment or Possession (CRS §13-40-104; HB 21-1121); genuine cure right.
Eviction court? Arapahoe County Court, 7325 S. Potomac St, Centennial CO 80112 (in Centennial city limits).
Just-cause eviction required? No. Colorado has no statewide just-cause eviction requirement for non-renewal.
Self-help eviction? Prohibited. CRS §38-12-510 — up to $5,000 punitive damages + actual damages + attorney fees.

Colorado rent control law: what Centennial landlords need to know

Colorado’s history with rent control has two distinct chapters. From 1994 to 2021, Colorado Revised Statutes §38-12-301 (enacted via Proposition 10) prohibited any Colorado city or county from enacting rent control. In April 2021, Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 21-1117, repealing §38-12-301 and returning local authority to municipalities.

Since HB 21-1117, no Colorado city has enacted a rent stabilization ordinance. Centennial City Council, since the city’s 2001 incorporation, has focused on market-rate housing and quality-of-life services rather than rental price regulation. Centennial landlords may raise rent by any amount at lease expiration without cap, registration, or approval.

Colorado security deposit rules for Centennial landlords

  • No deposit cap. Colorado imposes no statutory maximum security deposit. Centennial market practice (a premium market) is typically 1–2 months’ rent plus pet deposits.
  • Return deadline: 60 days (or 30 days with written demand) (CRS §38-12-103(1)). Best practice: use 30 days as standard.
  • Itemized statement required for any partial return (CRS §38-12-103(2)).
  • Willful wrongful withholding: 3× penalty + attorney’s fees (CRS §38-12-103(3)). Willful violations only.

Major employers and rental demand in Centennial CO

Arrow Electronics — Fortune 500 global HQ

Arrow Electronics (9201 E. Dry Creek Rd, Centennial CO 80112) is a Fortune 500 global technology distributor with approximately $33 billion in annual revenue. Arrow’s Centennial campus is its global corporate headquarters, housing approximately 7,000–8,000 employees across corporate, sales, technology, finance, legal, and marketing functions. Arrow is the largest single employer by headcount based in Centennial city limits and a major anchor for south Arapahoe County professional employment.

The E. Dry Creek Rd corridor where Arrow is headquartered also houses United Launch Alliance, creating a concentrated aerospace/defense/technology employment cluster within Centennial that is unique among Denver suburbs. Arrow’s global supply chain and enterprise computing divisions attract talent from across the US and internationally, generating relocation-driven rental demand in the $1,800–$2,800 range for high-end units near the Dry Creek corridor.

Raytheon Technologies / Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Technologies operates a major Colorado facility in the south Arapahoe County area (Centennial/Greenwood Village/Englewood corridor), employing approximately 3,000–4,000 defense aerospace engineers, software developers, cybersecurity professionals, and program managers. Raytheon’s Colorado work focuses on missile defense systems, electronic warfare, satellite communications, and intelligence community technology. Most positions require DoD Secret or Top Secret / SCI clearances, tying employees to this geographic area and creating a stable long-term tenant base.

Defense engineers at Raytheon Centennial earn $100,000–$200,000+, generating demand in the $1,700–$2,600 range. Proximity to the Centennial / Arapahoe County defense corridor — which also includes Lockheed Martin Space (Littleton), Northrop Grumman (Linthicum MD but significant CO presence), and Boeing Defense Space & Security — makes south Arapahoe County one of the most defense-employment-dense metro areas in the US outside of Northern Virginia.

DISH Network / EchoStar Corporation

DISH Network (now evolving under the EchoStar Corporation umbrella after the Dish-EchoStar merger) operates from its Meridian Business Park campus (9601 S. Meridian Blvd, Englewood CO — on the Centennial/Englewood border, functionally part of the Centennial employment cluster). DISH/EchoStar employs approximately 2,500–3,000 people in network technology, satellite operations, 5G wireless development, customer experience, and corporate functions. The company has been a major south Denver metro employer since its founding in 1980 (as Echostar Communications Corporation).

United Launch Alliance (ULA)

United Launch Alliance (9501 E. Dry Creek Rd, Centennial CO 80112) is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing for US government launch services, operating the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets. The Centennial campus is ULA’s corporate headquarters, with approximately 400–600 employees in engineering, program management, and administration. Manufacturing is split between Decatur, Alabama, and Harlingen, Texas. ULA aerospace engineers earn $110,000–$200,000+ and typically rent in Centennial and south Arapahoe County in the $1,700–$2,500 range.

Denver Tech Center (DTC) adjacency

The Denver Tech Center (Greenwood Village; I-25 corridor; E. Belleview Ave to E. Arapahoe Rd) is one of the largest suburban office parks in the western United States, housing approximately 50,000–70,000 office workers in technology, financial services, and professional services. Although technically in Greenwood Village, the DTC’s rental demand spills directly into adjacent Centennial because Centennial offers more affordable rents than Greenwood Village with equivalent I-25 access. DTC-adjacent 1BR apartments in Centennial run $1,700–$2,500, a $300–$500/month premium over interior Centennial units.

Centennial rental market: neighborhoods and 2026 rent ranges

Neighborhood / Submarket 1BR 2026 2BR 2026 Primary demand driver
DTC adjacent / Orchard Rd / Belleview area (west) $1,700–$2,500 $2,200–$3,200 DTC office workers; Class A new stock; transit access
Meridian Business Park / E. Dry Creek Rd (central) $1,600–$2,300 $2,000–$2,800 Arrow Electronics; DISH/EchoStar; ULA; Fortune 500 employees
Centennial Center Park / E. Caley Ave (north-central) $1,500–$2,100 $1,900–$2,600 I-25 access; Raytheon corridor; professional families
Willow Creek / Fox Hollow (mid) $1,400–$2,000 $1,800–$2,500 Established residential; quiet neighborhoods; Arapahoe school district
Highlands Ranch adjacent / south Centennial $1,500–$2,200 $2,000–$2,700 Families; Douglas County border; newer SFR stock
Arapahoe Rd / east Centennial corridor $1,400–$2,000 $1,800–$2,400 More affordable; I-25 S access; value seekers

Eviction process in Centennial CO: step-by-step

Colorado’s Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) process applies in Centennial. All Centennial properties are in Arapahoe County — no county split complexity. The Arapahoe County Justice Center is physically located at 7325 S. Potomac St within Centennial city limits.

Non-payment eviction (CRS §13-40-104)

  1. 10-Day Demand for Payment or Possession: serve written notice stating the exact amount of rent owed and demanding payment or surrender within 10 days. If the tenant pays all past-due rent within 10 days, the landlord cannot continue the eviction.
  2. File FED complaint at Arapahoe County Court: 7325 S. Potomac St, Centennial CO 80112. Filing fee approximately $85–$175.
  3. Summons and hearing: Arapahoe County Sheriff serves summons; hearing typically within 7–14 business days.
  4. Writ of Restitution: if landlord prevails, Arapahoe County Sheriff executes lockout with 24-hour door posting.

Total uncontested timeline: approximately 4–6 weeks.

Self-help eviction prohibition

CRS §38-12-510 prohibits changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting utilities without a court Writ of Restitution. Up to $5,000 punitive damages + actual damages + attorney fees.

10 common Centennial landlord mistakes under Colorado CRS

  1. Using the old 3-day eviction notice. Colorado extended the non-payment notice to 10 days in 2021 (HB 21-1121). A 3-day notice is invalid.
  2. Missing the 30-day written demand deposit deadline. If the tenant requests return of the deposit in writing, the deadline drops to 30 days. Missing it triggers the 3× willful withholding penalty.
  3. Omitting the itemized statement. Any partial deposit return without a written itemized statement is treated as wrongful withholding (CRS §38-12-103(2)).
  4. Deducting for normal wear and tear. In high-end Centennial apartments, landlords sometimes attempt to deduct for minor carpet compression or wall scuffs. These are not deductible.
  5. Underestimating corporate relocation patterns. Arrow Electronics and Raytheon relocate employees on 2–5 year assignment cycles. Offering 12-month initial leases with month-to-month options at renewal captures this corporate-relocation market at a $200–$400/month premium.
  6. Ignoring DoD clearance impact on lease terms. Defense and aerospace employees in Centennial sometimes receive classified assignment changes with short notice. SCRA applies if any tenant transitions to active military duty. Raytheon and ULA employees are often current or former military.
  7. Entering without 24-hour notice. CRS §38-12-1102: 24 hours’ advance written notice required for routine entry.
  8. Overstating rent in the 10-day notice. Include only past-due rent, not fees or charges. If late fees are included, separate them clearly.
  9. Not distinguishing Centennial City Court from Arapahoe County Court. Centennial does not have its own municipal court for eviction proceedings — all FED matters go to Arapahoe County Court at 7325 S. Potomac St.
  10. Self-help eviction. CRS §38-12-510: up to $5,000 punitive damages + actual damages + attorney fees. File the FED instead.

Frequently asked questions: Centennial CO rent increase 2026

Does Centennial CO have rent control in 2026?

No. Centennial has no local rent control ordinance. Colorado HB 21-1117 (April 2021) returned local authority to cities but Centennial has not used that authority. See the Colorado rent control preemption history.

What court handles Centennial CO evictions?

Arapahoe County Court, 7325 S. Potomac St, Centennial CO 80112. Uniquely, this courthouse is physically located within Centennial city limits — no commute to a distant county seat.

How much can a Centennial CO landlord raise rent in 2026?

Any amount at lease expiration. Month-to-month requires appropriate advance written notice (best practice: 21–28 days). No cap, no formula, no approval required.

What is the security deposit rule for Centennial CO rentals?

No statutory cap. Must return within 60 days (or 30 days with written demand) per CRS §38-12-103(1). Willful wrongful withholding triggers 3× penalty + attorney fees.

How does Centennial compare to Englewood and Parker for landlords?

All three are in Arapahoe County (Englewood, Centennial) or Douglas County (Parker) under the same Colorado CRS framework. Centennial (~115,000) has the highest average rents due to Arrow/Raytheon/DTC adjacency. Englewood (~35,000) is smaller, transit-rich, with healthcare anchors (Swedish MC, Craig Hospital). Parker (~65,000) is suburban, SFR-dominant, and family-oriented. See Englewood CO and Parker CO guides.

Does Centennial have any tenant protection laws beyond CRS §38-12?

No. Centennial has not enacted any local tenant protection ordinances beyond the state CRS framework. No just-cause eviction, no rent registry, no local relocation assistance mandate.

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