A construction-defects reform proposal that has divided the Colorado Legislature for years flew through its first Denver City Council vote without opposition Monday, clearing the way for the city to take the lead in what likely will be a newly energized statewide fight on the issue.

Though several council members said they had a few concerns with ordinance language that they’d like to fix before the final scheduled vote on Nov. 23, all seemed to share a universal sentiment that something must be done to spur a greater variety of lower-priced housing options in a city where home prices and rents have escalated significantly— and that this measure was a major step in the right direction.

“It’s a partnership between the city and our development community,” Councilwoman Debbie Ortega said near the end of a roughly two-hour public hearing on the subject that extended past midnight. “In general, I think the need to get to a place where we can build for-sale units is very important.”

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