State laws pose challenges for homeowners, builders

Owner-association statutes have led to large-scale suits

After precipitous declines since 2007, regional economic growth has pushed the demand for housing ahead to the point where, in the Denver metro area, home prices are hitting all-time highs that exceed even the pre-crash levels of 2006. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Denver Home Price Index, as of April 30, home prices in the Denver market area were 50.58 percent higher than they were in January 2000, and more than 8 percent higher than a year ago.

This increase in housing prices has reignited concerns among many civic leaders in…