Deadlock over housing will worsen crisis

This is how Boulders and San Franciscos are made.

No, really. We’re watching it happen in Loveland right now. It’s an issue bigger than the November election, bigger than any council member’s agenda, and bigger than any particular group’s grievances. But this deadlock over housing growth in our community will result in an ever more severe housing crisis in Loveland. And rather than point fingers at anybody else, City Council members will have to look in the mirror to see who’s responsible when our entire workforce is commuting in from neighboring communities because they can’t afford to live where they work.

The “tie” vote that stopped the Sugar Creek development from moving forward was the latest casualty of the fear, uncertainty and doubt that comes from building new housing in order to ease our supply problems.

The residents who show up en masse to argue against new development are already living here and already building equity in their homes, and they don’t want to see any change near their neighborhoods. They are not sympathetic to the needs of newcomers. But this is human nature, which council members should be familiar with. They shouldn’t take it to mean that a new development is unsuitable or unworthy of moving forward.

We know what we need to do to keep Loveland from turning into Fort Collins or Boulder. We need more housing, especially for people who are making at or around the area median income. Developments like Sugar Creek, which would add 1,100 new units of for-sale housing in this desirable price range, deserve council’s approval and support. I hope there’s a way we can keep this development and others from going to other more welcoming communities.

— Paul Baron, Loveland