The Colorado state Senate effectively killed a measure on Monday that would have given churches, schools, and universities the ability to build housing on their own properties.

Had it passed, the measure would have allowed those establishments to override local zoning laws. It’s the continuation of a longer dispute between state and local lawmakers about how communities should control housing policies. 

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State Senate leadership said the measure did not have the votes to pass, so leaders postponed the vote until Thursday, the day after the lawmaking session ends.  

The measure was backed by Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO). Shelby Wieman, a spokeswoman for Polis, said, “This common-sense policy is backed by non-profits, congregations, schools, housing, and conservation organizations. Coloradans are demanding action to cut housing costs, and we remain committed to continuing this important work.”

The governor and a large number of Democrats in the statehouse viewed the measure as a tool to lower housing costs. Local governments have been encouraged to pass measures to create more dense housing in recent years. 

The proposal was inspired by the religious movement “Yes In God’s Backyard,” which arose in response to community-level opposition to new housing.

Democratic state Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, a former Lutheran minister who sponsored the legislation, said the bill could “really move the needle in a meaningful way.”

“We’re building housing where it makes sense, and really taking care of one of those huge question marks, which is, can we get the land, and how much does it cost?” he said.

Church leaders in the Denver metro area supported the measure. They said it would provide them the ability to serve their community better by providing stable housing to those in need. The bill would have also allowed childcare facilities to operate on religious land.

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Some local officials came out against the measure, claiming it would usurp their plans for building new housing in locations with readily available infrastructure. They argued that building new housing where there are already amenities such as shopping, parks, and public transit made more sense. 

Many religious buildings, however, have already been built in these areas.