We are in this together and need to engage in this issue as a community. Now I’m concerned about being able to stay in Boulder myself, and for my children who are older now. That’s when Boulder really started to morph from a town into a city.Īlas, the morphing continues and growth is booming. To be honest, I used to be one of those people derided as wanting to preserve Boulder in amber, a NIMBY…oh my! I would even love to go back 20 years. My children were born and raised on generations of roots here. The market left to its own devices is turning Boulder into an enclave for the very wealthy only. Not only do we value diversity as a community, a cross-section of demographics is vital for a long-term, thriving economy and community.Īs stewards of this place we are blessed to call home, at this crossroads in time, what is our vision of Boulder’s future and how do we get there? Boulder has always been a desirable place to live and today jobs are booming, demand for housing is historically high, and developers see opportunity. The thing that makes up the character of a community most is its people. What is the character we want to preserve? There is the character of our natural environment, the built environment and the social fabric. Will our elders be able to age in place or will they be forced out of their homes because they can’t afford the exorbitant property taxes? Will our children and grandchildren be able to stay in their community and provide the same quality of life for their children and grandchildren, or will they be priced out? Will our relatives, friends and neighbors who are single parents, students, artists, teachers, first responders, really any middle-income households on down, be squeezed out, unraveling the social fabric of our community?
We are at a tipping point as a community and this issue needs immediate attention, foresight, vision and action. We have a housing crisis in Boulder (and throughout Boulder County) with skyrocketing property values and rents and a rapid loss of middle-income and workforce housing, and thus our friends and neighbors who can’t afford to live here anymore. I’d add that there is an urgency, however, as Boulder is experiencing a growth boom and the future of our city is being shaped now.
I wholeheartedly agree with Jeff Flynn’s assessment of Boulder’s growth issues and that how we shape it is of utmost importance ( “Councilman Brockett’s false premise on planning,” Daily Camera, March 16). Diana Caile: Visionary foresight needed for Boulder of tomorrow – Boulder Daily Camera Close Menu
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