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Boulder's a great place in many ways, but it's also what got me really interested in urbanism, and getting involved at a local level, because it is an abject fa
by davidw 9y ago
Boulder's a great place in many ways, but it's also what got me really interested in urbanism, and getting involved at a local level, because it is an abject failure in terms of being affordable to even middle-class people who didn't buy in 30 years ago, with average house prices somewhere around 700K or north of that.
This is, in part, because they refuse to add denser areas like the downtown in more parts of the city, despite there being ample room to build 'in and up'.
I mean... if Aspen or something like that is expensive, it is what it is, but a larger town with ample space like Boulder or Bend (where I ended up) or Palo Alto should not have these crazy prices.
- weisser 9y agoI don't disagree. Boulder does well by the people who can afford to live here but seemingly (I'm still new) does little to offer affordable options. You go around Boulder and it doesn't feel like a city — this is part of the charm and also part of the problem.
- davidw 9y agoThey don't need skyscrapers or other big city stuff. Just more 3/4 story buildings that use their available lot well. You don't even have to mandate that; just get rid of the restrictions and market forces would gradually drive things in that way.
- lazerpants 9y agoA lot of the population of Boulder doesn't even get to live areas that are especially walkable. Gunbarrel and all the neighborhoods East of 30th sort of require a car. Technically you can still bike but downtown or the campus are a long way, especially in snow or rain. And, unless it has changed, the bus doesn't run all night...
- Balgair 9y agoOh no, Boulder housing and land use is a mess of issues. For instance, imagine the 2011 flood with 10x the population density or the craziness of the Hill with even 2x more students. Let's not get started on Maple Hill's snootiness.
- maxxxxx 9y agoThe prices would level out if other towns would also work on becoming more attractive. It seems Americans are conditioned to build towns that are mainly used to drive through and not live there.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- davidw 9y agoThis book discusses why that's easier said than done: http://amzn.to/2BbEYoV http://amzn.to/2BbEYoV There are 'network effects' at least in terms of jobs and that environment. You'd have to convince a bunch of VC's to move to wherever along with a bunch of tech workers.