One of the vexing issues in Northern Colorado is housing attainability. Local government regulations, land use codes, and high fees limit the supply of housing to meet the demand of a growing area. As economist Dr. Thomas Sowell says in a 2015 article, “When a growing population creates a growing demand for housing, and the government blocks housing from being built, the price of existing housing goes up.” He shares a story of someone telling President Ronald Reagan about an issue that was “complex” to which Reagan replied the issue was actually simple, “but it is not easy.”
So it is with the issue of housing in Northern Colorado. It’s about simple supply and demand but not “easy” to solve or even discuss well. But it is an issue we need to discuss.
To that end, the Chamber is teaming up with members of NoCo Housing NOW for “A Housing Conversation” on the morning of November 8 at the Embassy Suites in Loveland. In addition to the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, other members of the NoCo Housing NOW coalition include the Fort Collins Board of Realtors; the Northern Colorado Home Builders Association; the NoCo Rental Housing Association; Information and Real Estate Services LLC; the City of Greeley; the City of Fort Collins; the Town of Windsor; Larimer and Weld counties; and Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity.
In short, many of the right organizations representing both the private, nonprofit, and public sectors are working together to consider options to meet the region’s housing needs.
Some of the costs to convene these conversations are being paid for by the investors in the Chamber’s multi-year key strategic initiative Northern Colorado Prospers.
Plan to join in the conversation. To learn more and register to attend “A Housing Conversation” go here.