Issuu

Boulder City Council Candidate Q&A

Questions provided by the Boulder Chamber and community partners:

Aaron Brockett

www.brockett4council.org @Brockett4Council @AaronBrockett12 @AaronBrockett12 aaronboulder@gmail.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder is blessed with a strong economy, with many high quality jobs and a strong retail sector. But our continued success is not guaranteed -- look at the experiences of the Rust Belt cities for examples of formerly thriving cities that have not maintained their success. We need to make sure that we maintain the ability for small businesses and quality employers to stay successful. That means not passing regulations that would prevent modest expansions of office spaces in our business districts, or trying to drive jobs out of the city. Instead, we should look for ways to make it easier to run a small business in Boulder, like for example creating an ombudsman position at the city to assist businesses with applying for permits and going through the regulatory process. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Our downtown is one of the most successful in the country, and the envy of many other communities. Council’s job is mainly to stay out of the way and not enact regulations that would stifle the vibrancy and success of the downtown area. We should also look for ways to support small businesses and retailers like creating the ombudsman position I mentioned in the last question. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? We should work to locate new, denser housing along transit corridors in places where there are good opportunities to access services by walking and biking. We should strive for as much of that housing as possible to be affordable as well to improve equity in our community. Places like 30th and Pearl, Alpine-Balsam, and Diagonal Crossing provide opportunities to provide more housing, much of it affordable. We should also encourage smaller units rather than larger ones to further reduce people’s resource usage and keep price points lower. We should continue our work to protect mobile home residents as manufactured housing provides affordable housing for thousands of city residents. Finally, we should look for opportunities to enable more housing types, like tiny homes and making accessory dwelling units easier to create.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? As the report from SWEEP and CoPIRG states, we can become a more sustainable city by locating new, denser housing along transit corridors in places where there are good opportunities to access services by walking and biking. There are many opportunities in town in places with older strip malls, like along the 28th and 30th Street corridors for redevelopment into mixed use communities where people can live with a lower carbon footprint. Through our inclusionary housing program, new housing means we get additional affordability in town. We should encourage some of that to be built on-site as well, for example by allowing density bonuses for on-site affordability. That strategy has worked well in the Holiday Neighborhood. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? Absolutely! I have strongly supported the city’s Vision Zero efforts in my time on council, and helped elevate safety concerns to the top of our transportation agenda. I think reducing the allowed speed on residential streets to 20mph is a good next step. I will also continue to advocate for prioritizing safety measures if I am reelected, including building protected bike lanes as part of transportation projects whenever possible. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? As I mentioned before, we should work to locate new, denser housing along transit corridors in places where there are good opportunities to access services by walking and biking. We should also target our transit investments in those places where jobs and housing already exist. I have worked hard in my four years on council to implement bus rapid transit along SH119 to Longmont and SH7 east along Arapahoe Avenue, and we have made significant progress on those projects. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? Strengthening our social safety net has been a top priority of mine in my last four years on council. I have advocated for additional human services funding from my very first months on council, and I am proud to say that funding has increased for human services in the last four years after a decade of stagnant funding levels. I am a big supporter of the way we implement that funding, which is to distribute it to local non-profits through a competitive grant process. We need to continue that work to support members of our community that are struggling to get by.

Andy Celani

smoothmotors@gmail.com

This candidate did not provide responses.

Paul Cure

www.paulcure.com @ForCommonGround @ForCommonGround paul.cure@gmail.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? The two most vital components to economic vibrancy are confidence in the marketplace (consumers need to feel that they are being offered a unique and honest product and retailers need to feel supported and nurtured for success i.e. rent, traffic, taxes), and diversity of streams of revenue (the city needs to be an advocate for small business and markets which bring needed support to the local economy and keeps the wealth generated from sales to balance the need for city services such as OSMP, transportation and housing) Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Are we in competition with our surrounding communities? I do not agree with a vision that places Boulder in that contrarian position. Innovation has always been a staple of Boulder’s identity. The use of innovation in the realm of the marketplace will be integral to sustain our community. The arrival of various industries into our local economy needs to integrated with an awareness of its importance to the future of our identity. Our surrounding communities are our co-workers, family, friends. The question isn’t how to better them but how to work together. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? The programs that Council have put in place with regard to the Linkage Fee, Middle income loan program and future housing projects are initiatives that I will continue to advocate and build upon.

Brian Dolan

www.briandolanforcouncil.com info@briandolanforcouncil.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? First, we have to have a very strong and vital local economy. We have always had the basic ingredients of a very stable jobs base here - between our two Federal labs, the University, IBM, and a vibrant start up company environment. We need to continue to be a start up hub, and help support that community. Maintain and attract a vibrant mix of small businesses. What I would focus on is making transportation in and out of Boulder more efficient. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Brick and mortar is going to continue to struggle. We need to promote a diverse business mix that continues to attract shoppers. Designating/stipulating specific core areas as retail-only (similar to Jill Grano’s bill to protect East end of the mall retail). City subsidizing rent increases on proven durable retailers. Considering a plan to incentivize landlords to lease vacant storefronts after a period of 90 days. Also look at creating affordable retail opportunities through city programs so that we can keep vital long term retailers in our city. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? I support the City’s existing affordable housing programs. I would increase the inclusionary housing requirement on residential developers. I also believe we need programs to help middle income earners. I support the City down payment assistance program to help first time home buyers get into the market. Look into more options, currently affordable housing is driven by development, I would like to look at more creative ways to finance it so we can get closer to our city wide goals.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? I have read the studies that show higher density leads to more carbon reduction, but I have also seen that it can also lead to more consumption and vehicle traffic. What you want to get out of the study depends on the inputs. Density does not necessarily lead to affordability. Boulder is an inelastic market where more housing stock will not meet the demand. More market-rate building will continue to raise Area Median Income with more affluent buyers moving in, which will continue to push affordability out of reach. I support the City’s existing affordable housing programs. I would increase the inclusionary housing requirement on residential developers. Supply side economics is not the answer to our affordability issue - we need to continue to get creative in ways to finance affordable housing. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? I’m generally supportive of the idea, but it depends on what is meant by residential streets. If we’re talking about interior streets within a neighborhood, I’m in agreement. But I think we should keep the collector and sub arterial streets where they’re at, because people also need to be able move on those streets efficiently. To improve safety for all modes, I think the City should look at more projects like the new 30th street corridor plan: They’re going to keep two vehicle lanes in each direction, they’re going to have bus pullouts and really nice bus shelters, a raised, separated bike lane, and a pedestrian sidewalk that is more separated the road. I think the City did a good job with the 30th St corridor - both in the public process, which was very inclusive and the final plan that was selected. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I support the City’s existing affordable housing programs. I would increase the inclusionary housing requirement on residential developers. I also think it’s time for new transportation strategies: shuttle vans, carpooling, increased bus routes and trying to move forward on light rail; Community wide Eco Pass. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? We’re living in increasingly polarized, mean-spirited times, if you will, at the national level. Under the Trump administration, vulnerable populations are increasingly under attack. I feel that we in Boulder can and should create a very positive anecdote to that, by really supporting humanitarian services and agencies here in town. I feel our wonderful non profit sector should be robustly supported. A big part of the human services needs arises out of the high cost of shelter. So making sure our economic development policies do not work to undermine people’s ability to stay in their homes in Boulder is an important first step. Protection of current market rate affordable housing, such as apartment complexes and mobile home communities, from rent increases and gentrification is another aspect to look at.

Benita Duran www.benitaforboulder.com @BenitaForBoulder @BenitaADuran duran4citycouncil@gmail.com The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Partnerships - Address vacant buildings and stabilizing/revitalizing certain districts like the University Hill, in particular. Encourage addressing the retail gaps identified in recent study for local shoppers. Focus with property owners on improvements to doing business with city, and help address red tape issues and more simplified processes for small businesses. City Budget - Support the Library District, particularly because it is an opportunity to shift burden on general funding spread the funding to a district of users, tied to property tax. Our library is more than books - it is our city’s education and cultural hub. Also want to see more philanthropic support of OSMP master plan through the OSMP Foundation. Opportunity Zone next steps - Bring resources to the conversation to explore how city can create the OZ Fund and manage investors/ROI for the OZ. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Vision of a continued partnership to keep local businesses here - healthy and happy - and maintain good communication flow to address issues of safety, security, access, etc. as they arise. Retail is changing how we use space and what can stimulate activity in our downtown. We need to continue to be creative about attracting people to retail centers to shop, eat a meal, drink a beverage after a hike. We need to maintain our welcoming, attractive, safe retail environments for the great variety of visitors. The retail study provided rich data and a road map of opportunities to pursue to reengage local residents with products/lines that meet our interests and needs, so we don’t look online first for options, and we buy local instead. I would support aggressively pursuing many of these recommendations in that study. Also maintain alliances with outdoor recreational industries. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? Housing was attainable when I moved to Boulder for a job with the City in 1993; and I would like to do everything I can to help make it attainable for others into the future. Boulder land use pattern is post war suburban, a common land use pattern that can be socially isolating, burden residents with high transportation and taxes and over time excludes younger people, workers, families and people of color. Programs under City Council are important to tackling the problem/crisis from all angles. The ballot item that creates a middle income down payment assistance pilot program is one I support. I also support community foundations and land trusts stepping into this arena to work in partnership with non-profits, in areas like our designated Opportunity Zone to create fund mechanisms that help guide the investments, reduce the risk to communities and deliver on housing.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? The slow-growth strategies are not consistent with carbon reduction and climate policies. And density is not by itself the solution. Variables are the cost of the land, location and ownership. Density makes sense to promote energy efficiency standards in buildings. Density makes sense along high transit corridors. Density can definitely help provide greater affordability. It needs to be a balanced approach. I will work towards a diverse mix of housing -- for people of diverse ages, incomes and life transitions; which are close to amenities to make it convenient to walk/bike for simple errands. I want to keep sharpening the tools in the box that allow for more incentives/savings in pursuit of tiny homes, ADUs, land trusts and other options that reuse/remodel underutilized locations and preserve current middle income housing stock. Pilot programs to test opportunities. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? Yes, I would champion speed limit reductions in certain areas -- with accompanying data that helps to inform the need, strategies and approaches. Schools, Pearl Street Mall, North Boulder Park are examples of areas that require extra attention and reduced speeds. Other ways to make streets safer: For some streets, intersections -- near schools at pick up drop off times -- a concept that I have seen work in other cities, is to restrict left hand turns from side streets (without stop lights) onto major thoroughfares (like Broadway) during certain ‘rush hours’ -- 4 - 6 p.m for example. Adequate street lighting and repairs of cracked sidewalk/curbs make streets safer for all users. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? It centers around housing. Continue goals related to new housing units, but enhance with a focus on housing for teachers, city/county/state employees, safety personnel -- and seniors. I support exploring community land trust structures to provide land or small home ‘banking.’ I support investing in a strategy for the planning reserve for future housing potential. I support finding ways for seniors to be accommodated by ‘aging in place’ -- and not be prisoners in their own homes. We need to embrace our senior community of residents and provide more places for downsizing. Providing a place for seniors to transition frees up more existing home options for in-commuting workforce. The Alpine-Balsam site is a prime location to apply the principles and strategies that are embodied in the Comp Plan that call out the critical need to address housing for workers and seniors. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? Top concerns are the sustainability of the funding for our decentralized human services provision model. As our general fund funding pie is limited, it is important to find the opportunities to shift reliance on general fund/sales tax. One place where this is possible is with the establishment of a library district - and shifting funding out of the general fund and to funding through a mill levy - with a broadened population of users/funders outside of the city of Boulder. This new district better reflects the consumers/users of the library and would free up funding that could then support these most critical human service needs.

Rachel Friend

www.friend4boulder.org @Friend4Council @RachelKFriend @RachelKFriend friend4boulder@gmail.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? We need to nurture and empower our world-class economy, by sustaining an environment that: fosters entrepreneurship, creates the conditions for small businesses to thrive, works in partnership with companies that are the foundation to our resilient business ecosystem, and helps women and minority business leaders overcome barriers to success. Driving out jobs or stagnating growth will not be positive economic drivers. We have ambitious, expensive values, as demonstrated by our $350+ million budget. To afford our values, we need quality economic drivers in our City. Our economic vitality is tethered to a healthy business climate. To sustain our vitality and economic resiliency I support ideas like: minimizing regulatory hurdles and attendant delays for businesses to launch, and ensuring we have adequate commercial space available. Above all, we need to heed economists and facts.

Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? Yes, we have to follow the data in making our streets safer. Reducing speeds reduces fatalities, and it’s in keeping with our community priority of Vision Zero. To me, that makes it a no-brainer step for residential streets. As to other ways we can make streets safer, as I am not a traffic engineer, I will defer to those who are. We can engineer calmer streets for slower speeds, and there are literally TOMES on how to do it. We can reduce speeds by things like roundabouts, narrowing streets, and encouraging street parking. Engineering is my preferred route, rather than increasing police patrolling of speeding, because policing and ticketing tends to disparately impact people of color.

Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Data tells us that tourism is critical for our economic health, and especially so for downtown’s resiliency. Tourism support is therefore a top priority for keeping downtown vibrant. Additionally, I support: • hosting more events downtown, and ensuring that we are investing in the progressive transit policies that make it safe and easy to get to, and around, downtown. • proactively assisting new businesses to navigate our permitting processes, reducing regulatory burdens, speeding up the permitting process, and cutting prohibitively expensive fees. • revisiting linkage fees; are they working, and are they set at correct $ point? • focusing on affordable workforce housing. We want workers to live and play alongside us - this brings environmental, social justice, and financial benefits. See next answer for how I’d tackle affordable / attainable housing!

Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? First off - we must help in-commuters. Commuting takes a heavy social justice toll on commuters, frays our community’s connectedness, and is horrible for the environment. So to maximize opportunities for attainable homes, I support: • Mixed use zoning in E. Boulder/industrial zones. I like to visualize tomorrow’s East Boulder as something of a hip meat packing district, with walkable amenities and restaurants, easy mass transit, great bike paths, and lots of art installations along the route to East Boulder’s tech corridor and downtown. I’ll be among the first to relocate! • Strategic new development along transit corridors. • Incentivizing developers to commit to higher percentage of affordable units, via e.g., allowing such commitments to yield faster permitting and reduced regulatory burdens. • Reviewing zoning to ensure effective policies are workable. • Improved 1st/last miles

The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? More people working in Boulder should be able to call Boulder home. We can and should quibble over where the housing goes, what mix of affordable/market rate makes sense, how transportation modes will be interwoven, and how to maximize environmental benefits from any new homes. The climate crisis is here, and “all hands on deck” for carbon reduction-attainable housing near where you work is a part of that. As I do not favor arbitrarily chopping jobs, that will mean more housing units, and ensuring they are heavily affordable through middle and moderate income units. I don’t believe Boulder can house EVERYONE who currently works in Boulder or simply wishes to live here - but we can accommodate some. Especially in line with social justice goals, I favor those who provide our core services having shorter commutes and being able to have the benefits that flow from living where you work.

The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? My top concern today is funding, and it is only likely to become more problematic in the coming years in light of projected growth. Given an already thin budget, will funds keep up with growth projections? Especially when we consider we are thinking about our homeless youth, early childhood interventions, and low-income legal funds, these programs are crucial and deserve priority consideration for our budget. This means that the next city council needs to take an even harder look at the budget, and will need to spend even more wisely. My first goal in looking at the budget will be to ensure that we are not spending money frivolously or redundantly. Sound fiscal management means prioritizing, and funding for health and safety, including our critical human services safety net, needs to be #1.

Junie Joseph www.junieforboulder.com @Junie4Boulder @Junie4Boulder @Junie4Boulder junieforboulder@gmail.com The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Components of Boulder’s economic vitality include its creative and entrepreneurial residents; its history of innovation in areas including natural foods, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and technology; CU and the national labs; and its beautiful natural environment. We need to support all of those, including being open to a greater diversity of people who can create the new areas of innovation. Supporting various types of local small businesses in Boulder, not just tech. Our biggest challenge is the tendency to close the doors and look to the past rather than the future. In particular, we need to improve the availability and affordability of housing, make it easier to start a small business, and work collaboratively and productively with CU. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Downtown Boulder is a national success story that continues to do well despite a challenging environment for retail everywhere, on the strength of a mix of unique local and distinctive national retailers in a beautiful setting. 1. Businesses play an important role in servicing our community and also employing our neighbors therefore, it is important to reduce the regulatory barriers especially for local businesses; 2. We need to explore infill including mixed use on the Broadway & Spruce parking lot and encouraging development of the Wells Fargo lot; 3. Consider how to attract more activity on Pearl east of 19th St., with a long-term goal of a delightful streetscape all the way from downtown to Boulder Junction; 4. Welcome visitors on whom our vibrant community depends. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? Like most hard problems, there’s not a single solution for housing affordability in Boulder. But there are many small steps that, taken together, could restore some balance. These include: 1. encouraging residential development of upper stories in certain commercial zones and/or on underutilized parking lots in our commercial and industrial zones; 2. reduce Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits for single-family houses to discourage the creation of mansions; 3. further loosen restrictions on ADUs, and explore incentivizing them through FAR bonuses; 4. explore mechanisms that would allow existing, market-rate affordable housing (such as existed at Eastpointe) to add units without full redevelopment; 5. loosen the parking regulations to allow parking to be determined more by the market and less by government; 6. maximize housing at sites like Alpine-Balsam.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? As a City we should focus on our aspirations such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, livability for all residents, and economic vitality. Density (high or low) is only a tool, not a goal in and of itself. It is largely necessary in order to create a truly sustainable environment, but it is by no means sufficient. The City of Boulder has a moratorium on Opportunity Zones, and as a community member, I understand some of the challenges. The Opportunity Zone program has a reputation in many parts of the United States for being used as a tool and tax haven for the rich, and whereas few beneficiaries are accounted for. Consequently, as a future member of City Council, I would work hard to ensure that vulnerable members of our community have a real opportunity through the LIHTC and other employment opportunities. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? Slower traffic speeds are crucial not just for both safety and livelihood of our residents. It would encourage more Boulderites to walk and bike. Reducing the speed limit to 20mph on residential streets is an important first step. In conjunction we need to continue to embrace a wholehearted commitment to Vision Zero; revamp our street design and management policies to reflect Vision Zero and our Transportation Master Plan goals; install and improve sidewalks and embrace protected bike lanes and protected intersections on larger streets; implement a Green Streets program that truly prioritizes people walking and biking; continue to prioritize street maintenance and snow removal for the safety and efficiency of all modes; and reconsider our transportation funding process so that we’re creating progressive infrastructure. We must take into account accessibility for people with disabilities. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? We need to rezone some of our commercial building for housing. We also need to continue to work to house more of our current in-commuting population of over 60,000 people. And we need to further work regionally with Boulder County, RTD, CDOT, DRCOG, and other communities to provide additional transit options (such as expediting true Bus Rapid Transit on the Diagonal) for those who are in-commuting. I would support further expansion of policies whereas employers would provide subsidies for walking, biking or any mode of transportation that is not driving. 1. Support policies that reduce dependency on cars; 2. Prioritizing road space for biking- the City should create a government public bike-sharing scheme (working with CDOT and leading companies in the transportation industry to provide free bicycles at RTD lots and near bus routes around Boulder). The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? Homelessness, for instance, at its most basic level is the lack of a home. As part of my government efficiency policy, I would advocate for better monitoring and evaluation of homelessness programming and data desegregation. We have data on the number of homeless people in the County, but the data is not properly disaggregated. Homelessness is a multifaceted issue that requires that we study the issue through a complex lens and that we parse the challenges in order to come up with creative solutions. There is also another issue whereas some are unable to benefit from affordable housing yet they cannot pay market rate. Consequently, we as a City have to find solutions to promote and protect the wellbeing of these families. Consequently, how can the City best allocate part of the general fund for some specified housing programs? We need to continue to work with the County and the State.

Corina Julca

www.corinaforboulder.com corinaforboulder@yahoo.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? The unemployment rate in Boulder is very low, at around 2.7%. There is an abundance of jobs, many of them well-paying, which are filled by residents of Boulder and commuters. By that metric, the economy is flourishing. At the same time, costs are rising. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed an increase of 0.4% in the CPI over the two months ending in July 2019 for the Denver metro area (not Boulder, but presumably similar). The increase was led by the cost of shelter. The key to maintaining a vibrant economy will be to provide the conditions for small business to thrive and people of a broad range of incomes to live in Boulder. I will support subsidies for small businesses to offset rent increases, which are often driven by sharply rising commercial property taxes. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Boulderites and tourists love the downtown area, centered on the Pearl Street Mall. The specialty stores and food establishments there are not in direct competition with the generic chain stores found in, say, the Flatirons Mall. To strengthen local businesses, I would explore several directions as a council member. First I would work on free bus routes to the downtown area, possibly funded by impact fees, tourist fees or employment-based fees. Second, I would initiate research into the impact of fairs on the mall -- whether they help or hurt local business. Third, I would look into rent subsidies for small, local, independent businesses impacted by the new development, which is driving up costs. Fourth I would work to regulate against ground-floor office in retail spaces in the larger downtown area. I would be open to suggestions by store owners. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? As a renter in what is called a market-rate affordable apartment, I know how critical it is to preserve the housing in Boulder that remains affordable for families and individuals. City Council has a variety of tools to identify these buildings and prevent their demolition. Right now, many of these buildings are at high risk because of the decision to create the Opportunity Zone. My family lives in the Opportunity Zone, and I know that the moratorium is probably only a temporary solution. It is urgent to protect these buildings through options to buy (by the City), purchases of the buildings in collaboration between the City and the tenants, high Inclusionary Housing requirements that discourage demolition, and more. I have many other ideas about affordable housing.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? Climate change presents a huge challenge for us all. I firmly believe we will all need to make sacrifices to ensure the planet is livable for our children. The report you reference did not present data showing that the widespread demolition of existing buildings and their replacement with new ones would be a net win for the environment. The report ignored the waste of habitable housing, usually the cheapest in the city. The report ignored the kind of mass transit solutions that could significantly reduce carbon. It did not discuss the role of government in affordability but assumed that free market density can bring affordability. This has not been the case in Boulder and in many other popular cities. I think Boulder has to build a much higher percent of permanently affordable housing, and this will entail more density along corridors. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? I’m in favor of reducing the speed limit as proposed. I’ll add my support for this ordinance on my website and then I’ll vote for it as a council member. According to what I read, the majority of car-bike accidents occur at intersections. I know that Boulder is applying paint and raised areas to improve bike safety at intersections. It’s great that Community Cycles is pushing this. Finally, I plan to work to get free bus routes in Boulder. This too will improve bike safety by reducing the number of cars on the roads. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I will support prioritization of multi-family housing, especially affordable housing, over office buildings, a strategy that the city has already begun. I will strongly support train service between Boulder and Longmont. I admire the persistence of some council members and the Mayor of Longmont on this project. I will partner with them. I hope to do the same with regard to a rail between Boulder and Westminster. The scale of the problem is regional. Additionally, I will support free public transportation on certain bus routes, especially linking to the rail and to downtown. It is my position that large employers will need to play a role in solving the transportation and housing problems, engaging in partnerships with RTD (rather than employer shuttles) and covering more of the costs of infrastructure. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? As a renter who does not qualify for the permanently affordable housing program because our family income is just a bit too high, I support a sliding scale instead of a go/no-go for assistance. Housing, school lunches, discounts at the recreation centers and more are all unavailable to my family and thousands more like us. We struggle to provide our kids with the basics and do not get help. As a Latina, I want to make sure that immigrants get the legal assistance they need and that we take further steps as a community -- beyond sanctuary city status -- to prevent ICE raids and to have emergency plans in place, if parents are separated from their children. Additionally, I’m concerned that the homeless population does not have enough facilities available during the daytime.

Nikki McCord

www.nikkiwithboulder.com @NikkiWithBldr @NikkiConBldr @NikkiWithBldr @NikkiWithBldr nikki@nikkiwithboulder.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? As a minority woman small business owner in Boulder, I’m especially concerned about Boulder’s economic vitality. Economists believe our country is headed toward another recession. Even though Boulder wasn’t impacted as severely by the last recession, there’s no guarantee that we will survive in the same way we did previously. Here are two strategies I would champion as a city councilperson. 1) Use local businesses; after the flood our community came together and neighbors helped neighbors. As we prepare to weather this upcoming recession, the city should prioritize utilizing local suppliers, with special consideration for minority owned suppliers. 2) Enact a living wage for all full-time city employees. Rising costs and stagnant wages will contribute to our next recession. The city can set an example for private businesses by enacting a living wage for all fulltime city employees. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? As a minority business owner in Boulder, I am greatly concerned about the retention of other minority owned businesses, especially those located downtown. As a city councilperson I will consider the recommendations from the recent citywide retail study. I plan to work with the Downtown Boulder Partnership to respond to the findings of the survey, including diversifying retail options, analyzing the permitting fee structure to find efficiencies, and evaluating retail vacancies to attract stores that fill shoppers’ unmet needs. All of these options will be explored through the lens of my own experience as a minority business owner and from input I receive from existing and future minority business owners. A vibrant downtown is one of the many jewels of our city and I will work with our residents, tourists, future, and existing business owners to maintain that vibrancy. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? Housing diversity makes housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder. No single housing option appeals to all occupants, so it is important to have affordable options that meet the needs of a diverse clientele. As a city councilperson, I will create 256 units of affordable housing per year to meet the city’s 15% affordable housing goal by 2035. In one year alone, Boulder Housing Partners created more than 250 units of affordable rental housing. As a city councilperson I will have the opportunity to create affordable rental and homeownership opportunities through ADUs, tiny homes, co-ops, community land trusts, and other innovative solutions. It is difficult to retain a good employee if they are stressed about where they will lay their head at night. As a city councilperson, I want to alleviate that stress by meeting and exceeding the 15% affordable housing goal.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? I am not seeking endorsements from any interest groups because they polarize our community. As a lobbyist working on both sides of the aisle, I learned to negotiate the best deal in an ever-changing political environment. If it makes sense to place 100 units of housing versus 150 units, I’m willing to make that deal to get to 256 units. That leaves 156 units of housing to be placed on another site. To clarify, I’m not interested in creating ‘ghettos’ in Boulder...places where all affordable housing exists in one area of town. Boulder Housing Partners has done an excellent job of integrating aesthetically pleasing affordable housing within the community. I plan to continue that tradition. Affordable housing is coming, probably to your neighborhood. I’m willing to consider your good faith concerns and I’m willing to negotiate how we get there as a community. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? One pillar of my campaign is to support sustainable infrastructure - prioritizing roads and affordable housing. As a homeowner on a residential street with a lot of fast traffic, I understand the concern of residents who want to reduce vehicle speed limits. I support an ordinance to reduce the speed limit on residential streets as there is research that indicates its effectiveness. Additionally, I support closing the gap in funding to the transportation department to maintain infrastructure and perform core services to meet community expectations. Because we have not responded to this gap in funding, our city has significant unfunded transportation maintenance that must be addressed. As a city councilperson I will support a county-wide transportation tax that is tied to affordable housing - thereby advocating for sustainable infrastructure through adequate funding. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? One pillar of my campaign platform is to create 256 units of affordable housing per year to meet the city’s 15% affordable housing goal by 2035. Additional affordable housing options provide choices for our in-commuting workforce who choose to live in Boulder. As a councilperson, I would also support a county-wide or regional transportation tax that could be packaged as a transportation and affordable living tax to address both regional housing and transportation issues. Housing and transportation can not be discussed independently as both solutions must be pursued in tandem. Millennials and younger generations are interested in walkable neighborhoods and smaller environmental footprints. Boulder’s current zoning does not address these changing tastes. As a councilperson I will pursue land use policies that respond to the needs of our community while addressing our environmental impact. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? One of my campaign pillars is a safe environment for all - focused on marginalized populations. Having worked with the Human Services Alliance for the past six years, human service providers insist that Boulder’s safety net remain comprehensive. Advocacy for a safety net that supports all members of our community, no matter their circumstances, is key. Boulder’s safety net protects homeless families, aging populations, those in need of mental health services, and others. Those of us who lived through the flood are grateful that Boulder had a comprehensive safety net that served the entire community - even those who never imagined they’d need to access assistance in their lifetime. As your city councilperson I will champion support for a comprehensive safety net through increased human services funding and meaningful partnership with the city’s Department of Housing and Human Services.

Mark McIntyre www.markforcouncil.com @MarkMcIntyreForCouncil @1MarkMcIntyre mark@markmcintyre.me

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Boulder is unique because of our: Open Space system, Downtown Mall, Chautauqua, CU, federal labs, a culture of sport and health, and our creek paths, etc… These components bring us visitors that make up a significant portion of our sales tax revenue (more than 30% from non-residents) and allow us to enjoy a budget much larger per capita than many of our peer cities. We must build on our success with: Far more maintenance and better visitor infrastructure for our Open Space System. More car-free spaces. The world is experiencing the benefits of temporary or permanent car-free spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. Boulder needs to catch-up to other world-class destinations. Event programming outside of downtown. Our downtown rocks but the rest of town needs some love too. The Hill, NOBO Arts district, and Boulder Junction need good programming to help keep Boulder Bolder. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Like I said above, let’s expand on our Downtown success with more car-free outdoor events. Our Downtown alleys should be considered for additional store fronts creating lower cost opportunities for smaller merchants to locate downtown. The 13th street Green Street should receive additional engineering treatments that make it even more attractive to pedestrians and cyclists. All shoppers are pedestrians before they walk into a store. Studies show that merchant sales go up when pedestrian accommodation goes up. Our Downtown Mall is the best example. More people arriving downtown without driving their own cars, mean more space for people. Spread the success of the mall to a broader geographic area. Make some specific curb positions dedicated loading zones for transportation companies to stop the haphazard loading that is taking place on Broadway now. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? By building more. We need to make homes for people that are truly and permanently affordable. Let’s make homes using beautiful design and elegant density. Let’s build homes looking forward to a future that will be different than our present and past. Build it for people who want to share assets, cars, bikes, gardens, and community spaces. Let’s build homes designed for singles and working families, on transportation corridors, that offer real choices for how to get to work. Diversity in design and diversity in economics will lead to the diversity that Boulder says we want. We will never sprawl our way into affordability; let’s acknowledge that. We will never house every incommuter; let’s acknowledge that too. Most importantly let us do what we can to accommodate those that teach our children, fight our fires, police our streets, staff our city offices; these people.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? The SWEEP/COPIRG report, the Sierra Club National Committee, and myriad other national environmental organizations have all concluded that continued auto-based sprawl is moving us away from our greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. Rather than focus on density, let’s focus on sharing. Sharing walls, gardens, transportation options, and community assets as described above, help us move forward, away from our reliance on single occupancy vehicles. Sharing transit means reducing congestion. Sharing also means stronger communities with stronger ties to each other. Boulder loves to travel to European cities that have narrow streets, outdoor dining street side, and walkable neighborhoods. Let’s bring some of that home and stop fighting what we actually love. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? As a member of the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB), I have been a vocal champion of implementing a 20 MPH speed limit on our newly christened “Bartlet Green Street,” 13th st. between Arapahoe and Iris. I have been asking for us to use this street as a clear example of how we can not only live with slower, safer speeds, but thrive and save lives with slower speeds. Our transportation staff correctly says that this will require a community conversation using our community engagement process. However, I think the process would be so much easier if we had demonstrable results backed up by data from a few locations such as 13th St. to show that it can be done and done without perfect engineering treatments everywhere all at once. We will never see change to our transportation methods and we will never reach our carbon goals without trying and experimenting, and course correcting. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? We must be flexible and welcoming of compact development along transit corridors, and ready to build a range of affordable housing across the city and focus on areas where people work, shop, and go to school. I support the work of BHP and I appreciate how they have been able to leverage monies from the Cash-In-Lieu option and build more units than what would have resulted by building on-site. RTD is a reluctant partner in solving our transportation problems. A partnership between the city, the county, and major employers should be explored to create new commuting solutions systems separate from RTD. Businesses need to contribute. I will work for: EcoPasses for all of Boulder. A transit system that is responsive to our needs vs. the RTD agenda. A convenient and frequent system that accommodates in/out commuters to major employment centers. Creative first/last mile solutions. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? HSA-BC does great work. My greatest concern is, all of these agencies are needed and their services are required in a community as rich as Boulder. One of the most important tasks of our next council will be to focus on new ways of funding our city via less regressive methods. Our state legislature is mostly to blame for restricting us from using progressive tools that don’t inflict more pain on those already struggling. We need to use our lobbying power to change that. We need leadership on council that is willing to champion landuse, housing, and transportation policies that benefit everyone with special emphasis on those working in our community and struggling. We often offer tax credits, or other incentives to those that need it least. Let’s make sure that our actions and policies do all that they can to keep our citizens from falling into the safety net that HSA-BC offers.

Gala Orba

www.galaforcitycouncil.org @GalaForCityCouncil @GalaOrba @Gala_Orba info@galaforcitycouncil.org

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Tech jobs are plentiful in Boulder and growing. Our economic vitality for White Collar work is strong. However, the working class, the blue-collar contingent, suffers. Wages are low and the work is long and arduous. I have been a restaurant server, a coffee shop worker, assistant, and a teacher and all were underpaid and overworked positions. Too many of our municipal workers live outside the city limits. We must help to change the landscape to one where workers serve their own community. I support raising the minimum wage to $18 per hour. I would like us to do a better job to encourage municipal jobs, from bus drivers to Open Space Rangers to live in the city limits. I would like us to prioritize municipal workers in our affordable housing programs. This would make a long term change in traffic patterns, the city budget, and in other areas. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? I am for Small Business Sundays. One day a week where we close all corporate doors and let the small businesses thrive on Pearl. I would also like to see an Art Coop downtown on Pearl. A permanently affordable art-making space where artists can gather, create, and market their wares. I would like the rent to drop on Pearl Street. I would like to find a way to discourage large corporations and their shareholders from owning the buildings and for families or individuals to own them. Taxes are one major way communities support their people, but it’s the people that make the communities great. I would like to see landowners in Boulder do the right thing by our citizens and be a little less greedy. I ask landlords to drop rents and make them reasonable if they can afford to do so. Please enable prosperity of others, not disable it. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? Affordable housing is a looming issue in Boulder. I support changing the occupancy law to 4 unrelated persons city-wide and creating clear laws around noise levels and street parking at the same time. I support loosening some of the restrictions on building new ADUs. I would also like to see the mandatory housing of freshmen and sophomores on campus. We certainly should prioritize city workers in our affordable housing programs. I am pro-rent control and will fight the good fight for this power at the state level so we can enact it here in Boulder. I support the city’s 15% affordable goal and I am also pro-housing at CU South.

Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I would like to find ways to curb the numbers of in-commuters. I would like to give them more ways to live in town. First off I believe we should prioritize affordable housing for city workers. I support changing the occupancy law to 4 unrelated persons city-wide. And I support loosening some of the restrictions on building new ADUs. I support rent control. Over time this effect will ripple through the community by reducing numerous in commuting traffic issues like wear and tear on our roads and long commute times. If someone works a short distance away they can easily bike or take public transportations, reducing our collective carbon emissions. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? Because of the opening of the Attentions Homes project, our safety net is growing; 41 people will be able to make a new life for themselves and many more down the road. I want to make sure this service and all other Human Services keep their doors open and my top concern is that they stay funded. I will address this concern by promising to maintain the current amount of funds for our safety net and to index it to the rate of inflation.

Susan Peterson

www.susanforcitycouncil.com @SusanForCityCouncil susan@susanforcitycouncil.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? The most vital component to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality is our inherent creative energy, fueled by the beauty that surrounds us. It’s the thing that helps us to attract great talent and retain it. • Strategies: - Continue to support the underpinnings of our economy: the National Labs, Ball, IBM, CU and our scientific community, now including Google. - Continue to support tourism, an important contributor to our vibrant economy. - Continue to provide an inspiring community in which we can all live, work and play - Balance economic vitality with all of the other critical components of our prosperity: housing, healthy climate, arts & culture, social justice, room to breathe - Create new programs for permanently affordable commercial and retail space to foster the diversity in our business sector that attract residents and visitors alike. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? • First and foremost, consider our neighboring communities as collaborators in our collective success rather than competitors • Keep our downtown vibrant by continuing to embrace and foster our natural “good energy”, the thing that draws people here from all over the world • Offer differentiated businesses, small local businesses, good and services that cannot be found elsewhere

The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? • Be more aggressive in our Inclusionary Housing goals. Particularly in City-owned sites, where we can prioritize people over profits. • Increase the Cash-In-Lieu multiplier to at least 100% of the cost to provide Affordable Housing on-site to incentivize the original legislative intent of Inclusionary Housing: de-segregation • Raise the minimum wage to a self-sufficiency level over time

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? • This is the same issue that was raised during my last run for City Council, 12 years ago. Since then, development of new housing units has increased from about 300 units a year to over 700. Along with that increase has come increases in rent – up 39% in Q4 of 2018 over Q3 as reported by the Colorado Real Estate Journal, and attributed to the high rate of new, higher priced rentals available. So, the promise of increased density equaling affordability has not come to pass. It never will in a market that has an unlimited demand for luxury housing. • The simplistic correlation of density to carbon reduction as if that’s the only thing we should optimize for, is just that… simplistic. The downsides of density including increased traffic, decreased mental and social well-being, and the impact on natural environments like reduced tree canopy and pollinator habitat must be considered. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? • As a cyclist myself, and as a mom, I consider lower speed limits a good thing • I am a big fan of providing people with reminders that they are speeding by installing more solar powered signs that tell people what their speed limit is • I would advocate for more green streets, and for more raised bike lanes which alert motorists when they are veering out of their lanes Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? • Although I know that this will not be a popular point of view with this audience, I would support easing up on the job growth throttle for a while to let other impacts catch up • I would support distributing more work centers to the communities from which people are commuting. Our Regional partners need jobs, too! • I would support more mass transit from the key corridors that are causing grid lock in the city each workday: Longmont, Lyons, Lafayette, Louisville, Broomfield and Westminster The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? My main concern in Boulder and throughout the US is that Human Services are primarily provided by nonprofits. Shouldn’t the provision of a safety net be part and parcel of the services we provide as an evolved society? Why do we rely on the charity of a few? Beyond that, my top concerns are: • Continue to provide and increase our stock of Permanently Supportive Housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness as the proven best first step. • Mitigating the impacts of transient homeless by providing some services localized to where they congregate, like trash removal and bathrooms. • Children and families at risk of homelessness. • Preserving and providing more affordable housing for all socio-economic levels. • Providing services for people who do not speak English as their first language. • Women’s health services for those who can least afford it.

Adam Swetlik

www.adamswetlikforboulder.com @AdamSwetlikForBoulder @AdamSwetlikForBoulder adamswetlikforboulder@gmail.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? I think the future of Boulder’s economic vitality should be in jump-starting and supporting our small business sector. Right now we’re losing decades-old small businesses to increased demand from internet sales and quickly rising rents on retail space. As our small businesses get pushed out by these economic forces, we lose our neighbors and beloved places to shop. Redevelopment of long-standing neighborhoods and retail locations seems to expedite this process as once affordable buildings have their rents increased to unattainable amounts. We see examples of this in space like the potential Hill Hotel, where only a few businesses plan on staying in the new development due to the increased cost and decreased retail space. The city needs to spend much more of its time and resources preserving our existing small businesses and helping new ones come to town. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? One of the largest barriers to sustaining our downtown businesses is the mix of what we are offering. As is the case throughout town, the rising rents prohibit small businesses from continuing to exist. In their place we see more high-end retail and chain stores, places that are inaccessible to the average customer. Further exacerbating this issue is the massive increases in online shopping that make retail storefronts less relevant each year. To fight these trends we need to attack the rising rents of our business spaces with policies like permanently affordable business spaces paid for with impact fees from the largest corporations in Boulder. While this may seem like we’re choosing the health of small business over that of larger corporations, without our small and local businesses, there will be nothing unique to draw shoppers in and will further accelerate a reduction in sales tax. The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? I would like to increase the inclusionary housing requirements for new development from 20% for low-income and 5% for middle-income to 25% for low income and 10% for middle-income. This increase would make a lot of headway in new developments providing additional permanently affordable housing units to help reach the cities 15% permanently affordable housing goal. To reach this goal by 2035 we need to use every tool available to increase the shares of permanently affordable housing. We should also require any upzoning of residences to include a permanent affordability component. For instance, if a single family zone is duplexed one of the two units should be permanently affordable. This would allow for existing spaces to be utilized for far greater shares of permanent affordability.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? My feeling is that Boulder’s housing problems are a transportation problem. While many want to live in Boulder, most just want easy transit to and from their jobs. Unfortunately the FasTracks rail system RTD promised and Boulder residents have been paying for is no closer to being completed after several decades. This has forced thousands into their vehicles for travel and provided a perfect opportunity to claim that a lack of development is the true culprit for in-commuting issues. Increased density comes with no promise of more affordability. Destroying existing buildings and replacing them with new building material is the opposite of reducing carbon impact. In the words of Architect Carl Elefante, “the greenest building is one that is already built.” We should be looking at ways to retrofit and expand on existing structures while investing in more permanent affordability. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? If I were a member of City Council I would agree to put a ballot measure on the table to reduce speeds in residential neighborhoods from 25mph to 20mph. This way the community would have the opportunity to take all of the facts and make a decision about the safety of Boulder. I think the GreenStreets initiative being introduced on 13th Street is a great step towards a type of street that should exist near all of our main thoroughfares. I would push for a much greater expansion of these types of streets that enhance pedestrian and biker safety by slowing down vehicles and keeping the different modes of transportation separated. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Boulder absolutely needs a much larger share of permanently affordable housing. Unfortunately, the most lucrative housing to build is market rate and luxury units. WIthout more regulations to increase the percentages of permanently affordable housing, we can’t create the type of housing that will benefit the diversity of income ranges we’re trying to keep in Boulder. Creating more market rate and luxury housing will only help those who can afford to buy into it. I would be willing to do something few Council members have yet when it comes to transportation policy. I would hold RTD accountable for their broken promises and decreased services. Maybe it’s time to look toward an alternative to RTD, and it’s definitely time to stop giving them money for a commuter rail unless we get our commuter rail. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? Currently I see a major lack of funding for our homeless population and those who are going through temporary job loss. Our lack of year-round sheltering and prohibitive weather-related cutoffs put people at risk of injury from exposure to the elements. Along with this I’d like to see Boulder provide more basic services for the community, like access to lockers and restrooms in highly trafficked public spaces. Small changes like this can have a big impact on the stability and livability for everyone in our city. I would also like to expand renter’s rights to allow more leeway for tenants not to be removed for small issues and clerical errors. In fast-paced and highpriced rental markets like Boulder we need to lend a helping hand to those low-income people who can’t easily navigate the complicated world of housing.

Mark Wallach

www.wallachforcouncil.com @WallachForCouncil mark@wallachforcouncil.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Our economic vitality depends upon continued economic diversity across many sectors: high tech, aerospace, start-ups in the food and beverage industry, research, and tourism. It is precisely those factors that make Boulder special that boosts tourism: its Open Space, its height limitations, its small town feel and big city sophistication. It is the preservation of those qualities that will be most contributory to its continued vitality. The presence of a highly educated and talented work force and a great university are the predicate for the vitality of the other sectors. I would explore the feasibility of creating artisan and/or small business zones where our service businesses and artists can find reasonably priced facilities. The investments in Boulder of such firms as Goldman Sachs and GTIS Partners, both based in New York, are indicative of the vibrancy of our current economy.

Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? I have no objection in principle, but I would want to see the data. What percentage of our accidents has occurred on our residential streets vs. commercial streets? Is this a one-size-fits all solution or are there streets that could properly accommodate a 25 mph limit, while others should be more limited? Will there be a benefit in pedestrian safety sufficient to warrant longer travel times? I am open to the concept, but would certainly need to know more. The most significant safety issue concerns bikers, and I support more protected bike lanes where feasible, and if there is proper outreach to the community (unlike Folsom). More multi-purpose greenways for both bikers and pedestrians would also be beneficial.

Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? I do not view economic development as a zero sum game where that which benefits Longmont must be viewed as a loss for Boulder. Boulder is an attractive destination for both businesses and residents, and Boulder’s unique combination of physical beauty, a highly educated and sophisticated population, and the presence of a leading university all contribute to making it a destination for high-tech firms, financial services firms, and start-ups. These factors are why Google desired to locate here. Whether a firm finds that rents in Lafayette are more suitable to its economic needs is not a calamity or indicative of the future decline of Boulder’s business base. However, I would emphasize the creation of small local businesses as a core component of our economic strategy.

Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? I do support rationalizing and streamlining processes so that if a particular project is permissible it can get to a prompt regulatory conclusion. As a former real estate developer, I always valued a clear direction as to what can be done with a piece of property. As stated above, I support the creation of new paths to achieve affordable housing beyond inclusionary zoning. On transportation, everyone agrees we need substantial improvements to the system, but we are hostages to RTD, and do not currently have the discretionary funds to do this on our own. I would like to see more land banking on the part of the City. The greatest driver of housing expense in Boulder is the cost of land; if that can be taken out of the equation it would be possible to construct more townhouses that could be sold in the $350-400K range for middle-income commuters.

The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? While inclusionary zoning provides some measure of affordable housing, I would look to develop additional strategies. We have some underutilized real estate assets that are controlled by the City and could be repurposed to provide substantial amounts of affordable and middle-income housing. There are some areas within the City’s industrial zones that could be accommodative of dense housing and could be rezoned for that purpose. We also need to take the lead in encouraging our sister cities within the County to be more aggressive in the provision of affordable housing. Boulder has 34% of the total housing units within the County and 55% of the affordable units. That is a tribute to our success to date, but more needs to be done and we need to think more regionally in terms of this issue. Finally, the Yates/Weaver program for middle-income down payment assistance is worthy of support.

The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? My primary concern is whether, in a time of flat or declining revenues available for all City expenditures, there will be pressure to reduce the funding for the programs that comprise Boulder’s safety net. I believe that programs such as Effa, Bridge House, the affordable housing owned and managed by Boulder Housing Partners and many others provide essential services, and I will advocate for - at a minimum - sustaining present levels of funding and increasing them where possible. Programs such as Bridge House (among so many) have a wonderful track record of successful outcomes, and they deserve as much support as we can provide. As we are an aspirational city there are an almost limitless number of programs and initiatives we wish to fund; however, I would regard these programs as having an extremely high priority and will seek to protect them from reduction.

Bob Yates

www.bobyatesboulder.com bobyatesboulder@gmail.com

The Boulder Chamber: What do you see as the vital components to the future of Boulder’s economic vitality and what specific strategies would you support as a City Councilmember to maintain a vibrant economy? Our citywide retail study shows that Boulder has a “pull factor” of 1.5, meaning we bring in 50% more in sales and sales tax than you would expect of a city of our size. Those purchases, by commuters, day visitors, and tourists generate tens of millions of extra dollars, allowing Boulder to provide superior municipal amenities and host world-class restaurants and stores, creating a virtuous cycle. But, we are surrounded by new competition from L-cities. Commercial rents are increasing as our sales taxes flatten, causing businesses to consider starting or growing elsewhere. Four solutions: (1) Maintain our visitor base (let’s not kill the goose because we think we have too many golden eggs). (2) Don’t raise property tax (this really whacks local businesses). (3) Allow retail closer to where people live. (4) Eliminate stifling city bureaucracy. Read more at the August Boulder Bulletin. Downtown Boulder Partnership: Our neighboring communities have flourished over time and have captured or retained sales tax revenues that in the past sustained Boulder’s economy. As competition continues to increase, what is your vision to keep our downtown vibrant in order for our local businesses to succeed in this ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment? Well, first, read my answer to the community vitality question. For Downtown specifically, here are seven ideas to help us remain competitive: (1) Avoid national chains to keep the retail and hospitality offerings unique and compelling. (2) Increase the diversity of the offerings to include more than restaurants and stores; “eat & shop” needs to become “eat, shop, & PLAY.” (3) Refresh the festivals and events to provide exciting new activities (I’m on the board of the Downtown Boulder Foundation, so that’s on me). (4) Activate Downtown alleys with coffee shops and bars, starting with the 1100 block of Morrison Alley. (5) Pedestrianize 13th Street from Arapahoe to Pearl. (6) Art, art, art (I contributed to the new Bear Hugs statue at 15th & Pearl and we should do more). (7) Connect the new CU Conference Center on the Hill to Pearl Street with a Gondola (stop snickering!). The Community Foundation of Boulder County: How would you make housing attainable for those who live or work in Boulder? Sam Weaver and I developed a middle-income downpayment assistance program, whereby families earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income can borrow from the city the gap between a standard mortgage and what they have saved, with a minimum owner equity of 5%. To qualify, the borrower must have worked in Boulder for at least two years and the housing unit must be no more expensive than the area median. In exchange for an interest-deferred loan, the homeowner would agree to deed-restrict the unit with a capped appreciation rate (say, 2%), so that the unit will be permanently affordable to middle income families, in perpetuity. Because interest on the city’s loan eventually will be repaid, the cost to the city will be nominal, less than $10,000 per deed-restricted door. Read more in the August Boulder Bulletin. The funding for the pilot will be on this November’s ballot. Vote yes.

Urban Land Institute of Colorado: A recent report from the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and CoPIRG Colorado suggested that Boulder’s slow-growth policies are not consistent with its carbon reduction and climate policies. Do you feel that in Boulder “dense makes sense” to help achieve carbon reduction? If so, how would you support affordability with density? Not to keep you in suspense, but I’m a little on the fence. While it can be true that dense makes sense, we must avoid local offense. When someone mentions dense, other folks get quite tense. And, although we want to lower rents, let’s do so without laments. So spending dollars, spending cents, we must apply some common sense. We’ll be more open than Mike Pence, not every home needs a picket fence. Let’s apply our own sixth sense, and make sure communication is intense. We’ll never have no dissents, but bad engagement circumvents. We must spare no expense, removing all pretense. And as we seek to condense, let us not be on defense. Diverse opinions whence, community buy in thence. For if we do this, gain consents, public distrust this prevents. Our reward? Our recompense? A town of grace, generations hence. Community Cycles: To improve safety, cities around the world have been reducing vehicle speed limits. Studies show that speed reduction has an impact in both reducing speed and normalizing driving slower. Boulder has been very reluctant to reduce traffic speeds. Community Cycles is asking the next council to pass an ordinance that will reduce the speed limit on residential streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. Will you champion this speed limit reduction? If so, how? What other ways do you think we can make our streets safer for all users? Twenty is Plenty! At 20 MPH, nine out of ten pedestrians survive an impact with a car. At 30 MPH, half of them die. I spend a lot of time in New York City, where they lowered neighborhood speed limits to 20 MPH in 2014. As a result, last year New York reported the fewest traffic deaths since the city began tracking in 1910. I have been advocating Twenty is Plenty since I got on council in 2015, but I have been stymied by city staff. With new staff and a new council, I think we can get it done in 2020. We will start by insisting that Twenty is Plenty is hardwired into the Transportation Master Plan. Then, we will more generously fund the Neighborhood Speed Management program (currently at just $250,000) and the four E’s of Vision Zero: Engineering, Enforcement, Education & Evaluation. We can save lives. Boulder Area Realtor Association: What strategies do you support regarding land use, housing and transportation policies and programs to address the impacts of our in-commuting workforce? Here are eight ideas: (1) Fund the Middle-Income Downpayment Assistance program. (2) Adjust our use tables to allow more housing in places where it is currently limited. (3) Build appropriately-dense housing at AlpineBalsam, Iris-Broadway, Diagonal Plaza, CU South, and (yes) in the Area 3 Planning Reserve. (4) In those new housing districts, allow neighborhood-serving retail, so folks don’t have to drive to get necessities. (5) Connect our traffic lights to fiber so that our smart city can become a Smart City, with lights that are timed to volume. (6) Create a regional transit system in partnership with the L-cities, CU, and our largest employers. (7) Be a leader in embracing mobility as a service and in autonomous transportation, allowing people to live in Boulder without owning cars. (8) Be kind to bikers and walkers; let’s make it easy and safe for them to leave their cars behind. The Human Services Alliance of Boulder County: The Human Service Alliance’s non-profit human service agencies provide the bulk of the human service safety net in Boulder. What are your top concerns about the safety net in Boulder and how do you plan to address these concerns? When I joined council, our funding for human services was abysmal. Adjusted for inflation, it had not increased in many years. So, in 2017, we developed a Human Services Strategy that increased funding and, at the same time, ensured that those dollars are put to the most effective use. We identified six goals and we re-directed funding to upstream and preventative actions, while insisting on data so that we can measure success and further adjust. We’ve had early successes with programs like Keep Families Housed, Coordinated Entry, and Double Up Food Bucks. But as I look across the 38 outstanding programs that sought Human Services Fund support in 2019, I see more than $900,000 in denied requests. The best kind of problems are those that can be solved with money. We must continue to increase funding to our human services partners so that our community is safe, healthy, and welcoming.