Housing Access and Affordability

Housing affordability affects the entire community.

Teachers, first responders, healthcare workers and people working in local businesses increasingly find that they cannot afford to live in Boulder. Seniors who want to downsize may discover that a smaller home is no more affordable. Young families and people beginning their careers often conclude that they must build their future somewhere else.

There is no single solution. Building more housing is necessary, but building more will not, by itself, produce affordable homes. We need more housing choices, more permanently affordable homes and fewer unnecessary costs. We also need to respect the qualities that make Boulder a special place to live.

Add housing where it makes sense

Each generation addresses its housing needs in its own way. Housing plans from the 1990s and early 2000s do not reflect today’s smarter choices in energy efficiency, water conservation, accessibility, building materials and smaller, more flexible designs. These choices can lower the long-term cost of a home while helping Boulder meet its environmental goals.

I support reasonable development throughout the city, with an emphasis on missing-middle and permanently affordable housing. Duplexes and triplexes along major transit corridors in traditionally single-family neighborhoods can begin to make a difference without fundamentally changing those neighborhoods. This development should include standards for building size, setbacks, trees, parking and compatibility with surrounding homes.

Neighborhood character matters deeply to Boulder residents. The addition of duplexes and triplexes along transit routes should not lead to changing the neighborhood. We should find ways to add housing while respecting it.

The city is expected to consolidate several municipal buildings into the Western City Campus. Before the city sells properties it no longer needs, we should determine whether any could be used for permanently affordable or mixed-income housing. If a property is appropriate for housing and the numbers make sense, I will support using it for that purpose.

Commercial areas also present opportunities. Underused offices and aging shopping centers can provide housing near transit, services and jobs. The redevelopment of the former Sports Authority property at Diagonal Plaza is a good example. An empty store and a large parking area were replaced with market-rate and permanently affordable homes, neighborhood retail and public space.

Make it easier to build smaller, moderately priced homes

Delay, uncertainty and complicated reviews add to the cost of housing. Projects that comply with adopted zoning and design standards should receive coordinated reviews, clear requirements and predictable timelines. Boulder should also examine whether fees can be deferred or reduced for projects that provide smaller, moderately priced homes rather than primarily large luxury units.

Protect and add permanently affordable housing

The city should continue working with Boulder Housing Partners, nonprofit organizations and regional partners to create and preserve permanently affordable homes for low- and moderate-income households. Housing that remains relatively affordable should not be lost through redevelopment without asking what will replace it.

Create more opportunities for middle-income residents

We should encourage a greater variety of housing, including smaller homes, duplexes, triplexes and condominiums. These choices may be more attainable for middle-income residents.

I would also explore opportunities to expand housing opportunities here in Boulder for teachers, first responders and others who serve our community, as well as seniors who want to downsize while remaining in Boulder. A greater variety of homes will not solve the affordability problem, but it can provide more choices and reduce some of the pressure on the housing we already have.

The Area III Planning Reserve can become our next great neighborhood

I support continuing the process of bringing some or all of the Area III Planning Reserve into Area II, making it eligible for future annexation and carefully planned development.

The Planning Reserve has been held for possible future community needs since the early 1990s. Housing is now one of Boulder’s most pressing needs.

The area should be planned as a whole, even if development occurs in phases. Comprehensive planning will allow Boulder to make informed decisions about housing, parks, transportation, infrastructure and the boundaries of a new neighborhood. Phased development would allow the city to learn from its early decisions and avoid taking on every cost at once.

Any proposal must address infrastructure costs, water availability, transportation, environmental protection, wildfire risk and the cost to the city. It should produce a walkable, transit-connected neighborhood with mixed-income, middle-income and permanently affordable homes.

The Area III Planning Reserve will not solve Boulder’s housing problem by itself. If we plan it well, however, it can provide housing choices that are difficult to create elsewhere and become a neighborhood Boulder will be proud of for generations.