This is a rare and unique opportunity to make a significant improvement in housing for middle-income families. Because we own the airport land, we can sell it to developers at a workable price with the condition that they MUST build the type of affordable middle-income family housing that Boulder sorely needs.

There are many reasons to close BDU that are not related to housing, but let's focus on Boulder's housing needs for a minute. 

Boulder is largely ringed by beloved public open space land, and we are committed to not sprawl. Therefore, our potential to develop new housing is mainly through infill development and redevelopment of aging buildings. There are very few large parcels of land in the city of Boulder that could be easily redeveloped. The site on Airport Road is already owned by the City, is within the city limits, is already zoned for development, is largely empty, and is the last large tract of land of this size and opportunity.

The airport site is special because the City owns the land. Because we own the land, we can sell it to developers at a workable price with the condition that they MUST build neighborhoods with the type of affordable middle-income family housing that Boulder sorely needs. It works out economically for the developers, and it does not require money from the city's budget or the taxpayer.    

Currently, the biggest gap in the Boulder housing market is affordable middle-income housing. Developers simply do not build this type of housing because other products, like large single-family homes and luxury apartment buildings, are more profitable. Federal tax credits (subsidies) are available to build low-income and moderate-income housing, but there is no such federal assistance for middle-income housing.

Right now, when families are ready to move from apartments to their first houses, they are leaving Boulder because they cannot find affordable family homes. School enrollment is dropping because not enough families with children can afford to live here. Essential workers like staff of Foothills Hospital, police, teachers, firefighters, EMTs, and day care workers often can’t find suitable affordable housing in Boulder. Those folks may take other jobs closer to where they live when those jobs become available, leading to staffing shortages here in Boulder.

These are problems we can help address with new neighborhoods that WE design to meet Boulder’s needs.