Colorado HEAR Rebates for Condos in 2026: Eligibility & Where It's Open
As of late March 2026, Colorado HEAR covers condos and apartments, not just single-family homes. Where the program is open, an individual unit owner can claim up to $8,000 for a heat pump, $4,000 for an electrical panel upgrade, and $1,750 for a heat pump water heater, up to a $14,000 household maximum, on the same income tiers as single-family homes. The catch for condo owners is regional -- read the next paragraph before you plan around these numbers.
The regional catch: HEAR is run by region, and the Front Range (Region 1) -- Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and the rest of the corridor, where most Colorado condos are -- closed to new applications on April 28, 2026, with no reopening announced. The mountain and Western Slope counties (Region 2) remain open. So a Denver or Boulder condo owner cannot currently start a new HEAR application, while a unit owner in an open mountain county can. The amounts below are program ceilings, not typical awards, and depend on your income tier and equipment. The calculator checks your ZIP's status first.
When did HEAR expand to cover condos and apartments?
When Colorado launched HEAR in November 2025, it initially covered single-family homes only. Starting late March 2026, the program expanded to condominiums and apartments. Individual unit owners -- not landlords or associations -- apply directly for rebates on qualifying equipment installed in their unit. The expansion matters because a large share of Colorado's urban housing is multifamily; the limit, as above, is that the Front Range region is currently closed to new applications.
What a condo owner can claim where HEAR is open
Where the program is accepting applications, an individual condo unit owner is eligible for:
- •Heat pump (cold-climate): Up to $8,000 for a qualifying ducted or ductless mini-split heat pump replacing gas or electric resistance heat.
- •Heat pump water heater: Up to $1,750 for an ENERGY STAR-certified heat pump water heater.
- •Electrical panel upgrade: Up to $4,000 for a panel upgrade required to support the new equipment.
The household maximum is $14,000. Rebates are income-tiered: at or below 80% of Area Median Income receives the full amount; 80-150% AMI receives 50%. Households above 150% AMI do not qualify for HEAR but may access utility rebate programs independently.
What condo owners should know before applying
Most condo buildings require HOA approval before a unit owner installs new HVAC equipment, especially because ductless mini-splits may need exterior wall penetrations. Get that approval before starting. If the building uses central HVAC (common in older high-rises), individual unit upgrades may not be possible without building coordination; newer buildings and townhome-style condos with individual systems are easier. The HEAR rebate goes to the unit owner, and your licensed contractor handles the application where the program is open.
The HER program for whole-building retrofits
Separate from HEAR, Colorado's HER (Healthy Efficient Homes) Program funds building-level efficiency upgrades in multifamily and manufactured housing. It is applied for at the building level -- a condo association or property manager, not individual unit owners -- and projects must achieve at least 20% whole-building energy savings. If your association is planning a major retrofit (insulation, common-area systems), HER is the mechanism, while individual unit owners use HEAR for their own equipment where it is open.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do Colorado HEAR rebates apply to condos and apartments in 2026?
Yes -- as of late March 2026, HEAR expanded to cover condos and apartments, not just single-family homes. But HEAR is regionally gated, and that matters most for condos: the Front Range (Region 1), where most Colorado condos are, closed to new applications on April 28, 2026, with no reopening announced. The mountain and Western Slope counties (Region 2) remain open. So condo eligibility expanded, but whether you can actually start an application depends on your region -- the calculator checks your ZIP.
What can a condo owner claim under Colorado HEAR, where it is open?
Where HEAR is open, an eligible condo owner can claim up to $8,000 for a cold-climate heat pump, up to $1,750 for a heat pump water heater, and up to $4,000 for an electrical panel upgrade, with a $14,000 household maximum. The same income tiers apply: households under 80% AMI receive the full amount; 80-150% AMI receive 50%. These are ceilings, not typical awards.
Can the condo association apply for HEAR rebates on behalf of the building?
No -- the individual unit owner applies for HEAR, not the HOA or association. Each household applies independently based on its own income, household size, and equipment. If a building-wide retrofit is planned, multiple unit owners can each apply where the program is open. Colorado's separate HER (Healthy Efficient Homes) program funds building-level retrofits and is applied for at the building level.
What is Colorado's HER Program and how is it different from HEAR?
Colorado's HER (Healthy Efficient Homes) Program funds whole-building efficiency upgrades for multifamily and manufactured housing, rewarding projects that achieve at least 20% energy savings; it is applied for by the building owner or association. HEAR rebates are for individual households replacing specific equipment. A condo resident might use HEAR for their unit's heat pump while the association pursues HER for insulation and common-area upgrades.