The City Council voted to reject the proposed co-op ordinance yesterday evening. Our formal testimony and the volume of signatures provided the leverage needed to halt this expansion in low-density zones. We will continue to track any future adjustments to occupancy standards to ensure these provisions do not resurface in …
February 12, 2017
Final supporters
NOTE: After signing and submitting the petition you will not get a confirmation. You will be directed to a iPetitions donation page - this is not a donation to BNA, it's a donation to iPetitions.com - if you do not wish to donate to iPetitions, simply close the browser window. And consider joining BNA by going to boulderna.org! ... ANOTHER NOTE: this iPetitions website is free and donation supported - occasionally it gets overloaded - so if it seems to not accept your signature right now, please come back and try again in a few minutes!
The Boulder City Council is in the process of crafting a new “Cooperative Housing” (or “Co-op”) ordinance. The essence of this proposed ordinance is to grant a special exemption from Boulder’s current occupancy limits (no more than 3 or 4 unrelated persons per dwelling unit), to any group of people who can claim to “live cooperatively,” thus constituting a “co-op”. The proposal currently before the council would provide for both equity and “rental co-ops” with a density as high as one person per 150 square feet of living space, and would be allowed in every zoning category, including Low- and Medium-Density Residential neighborhoods.
The members of the Boulder Neighborhood Alliance (BNA) believe that this proposed ordinance as it is currently drafted is wrong for Boulder. We take issue with many of the provisions in the proposal. We propose that the following points be taken into account:
- Before allowing this co-op ordinance to move forward, the City must budget for and hire sufficient occupancy enforcement staff, and specify requirements for enforcement.
- Co-ops of any type should be allowed only in existing high-density, mixed-use, and converted commercial/industrial/office zones. Co-ops, which are by nature high density, should not be permitted in low-density or medium-density residential zones.
- Co-ops as defined by the currently proposed ordinance provide very little benefit to the community in terms of affordable housing or workforce housing. The city should instead look to other solutions such as a co-housing model based on equity ownership.
- Co-ops based on any form of rental model are not acceptable. There is no verifiable or meaningful way to distinguish a “rental co-op” from any other high-occupancy rental or boarding house.
- We do support the idea of an “Equity Co-op”, in which the members of the co-op would have a long-term stake in the property and the surrounding neighborhood. An “Equity Co-op” should be defined as a property in which 100% of the adult/non-dependent residents own a meaningful share of the property, and 100% of the owners have the property as their primary residence.
For more information about the proposed ordinance, see BNA's Cooperative Housing Proposal Information Page. And follow up by Taking Action!
By signing this petition, you are indicating that you oppose Boulder's proposed Co-op Ordinance as it is currently drafted, and that you support BNA's positions on co-ops outlined above.
BNA's Privacy Policy: BNA will never distribute or sell your personal information or provide it to third parties. Your email address may be used only for BNA membership purposes. You may receive an invitation to join BNA's mailing list. Your neighborhood information will only be used in the aggregate to show how many households in specific neighborhoods support BNA's efforts.
NOTE: After signing and submitting the petition, you will be asked if you would like to make a donation to iPetitions. Note that this donation would be to iPetitions (the organization that hosts this petition), and not to BNA. Unlike other sites, iPetitions will not sell your information to a third party or allow advertising. However, if you do not wish to donate, simply close the browser window, your signature will have been recorded.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2016
September 20, 2016
We have reached one hundred signatures. I am compiling this list to present as part of our formal testimony during the next public hearing.
Reached 100 supporters
September 18, 2016
225 Comments
I adamantly oppose rental co-ops in low density Boulder neighborhoods. My family and my street facing neighbors are directly and negatively impacted by the Picklebrick coop attempting to be grandfathered in to our single family, owner occupied neighborhood.
I'm not against co-ops per se, but I am opposed to rental homes in low density neighborhoods being converted to co-ops. No effective enforcement and unscrupulous landlords will make a mockery of any good intent, and reduce affordable housing in the end.
Boulder has enough investor held housing. We have a real shortage of single family homes. We don't need greedy landlords converting single family homes into coops so they can double the rent by cramming in a dozen people.
Co-ops will not solve the problem of affordable housing for those who truly need it. Also, unless the city begins to enforce laws already on the books for things like noise, trash, parking, etc., you won't have my support.
Rental co-ops are nothing more than glorified boarding houses. I should know - there's been one next door to me for the last four years. They had a revolving door of boarders and couch-surfers the whole time. Don't let this happen to you!
Will not help home values in the neighborhoods
Anything that permits a coop entity in a zoned residential area must never result in a permanent zoning change for the individual residence.
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The City Council voted to reject the proposed co-op ordinance yesterday evening. Our formal testimony and the volume of signatures provided the leverage needed to halt this expansion in low-density zones. We will continue to track any future adjustments to occupancy standards to ensure these provisions do not resurface in …
February 12, 2017
Final supporters
NOTE: After signing and submitting the petition you will not get a confirmation. You will be directed to a iPetitions donation page - this is not a donation to BNA, it's a donation to iPetitions.com - if you do not wish to donate to iPetitions, simply close the browser window. And consider joining BNA by going to boulderna.org! ... ANOTHER NOTE: this iPetitions website is free and donation supported - occasionally it gets overloaded - so if it seems to not accept your signature right now, please come back and try again in a few minutes!
The Boulder City Council is in the process of crafting a new “Cooperative Housing” (or “Co-op”) ordinance. The essence of this proposed ordinance is to grant a special exemption from Boulder’s current occupancy limits (no more than 3 or 4 unrelated persons per dwelling unit), to any group of people who can claim to “live cooperatively,” thus constituting a “co-op”. The proposal currently before the council would provide for both equity and “rental co-ops” with a density as high as one person per 150 square feet of living space, and would be allowed in every zoning category, including Low- and Medium-Density Residential neighborhoods.
The members of the Boulder Neighborhood Alliance (BNA) believe that this proposed ordinance as it is currently drafted is wrong for Boulder. We take issue with many of the provisions in the proposal. We propose that the following points be taken into account:
- Before allowing this co-op ordinance to move forward, the City must budget for and hire sufficient occupancy enforcement staff, and specify requirements for enforcement.
- Co-ops of any type should be allowed only in existing high-density, mixed-use, and converted commercial/industrial/office zones. Co-ops, which are by nature high density, should not be permitted in low-density or medium-density residential zones.
- Co-ops as defined by the currently proposed ordinance provide very little benefit to the community in terms of affordable housing or workforce housing. The city should instead look to other solutions such as a co-housing model based on equity ownership.
- Co-ops based on any form of rental model are not acceptable. There is no verifiable or meaningful way to distinguish a “rental co-op” from any other high-occupancy rental or boarding house.
- We do support the idea of an “Equity Co-op”, in which the members of the co-op would have a long-term stake in the property and the surrounding neighborhood. An “Equity Co-op” should be defined as a property in which 100% of the adult/non-dependent residents own a meaningful share of the property, and 100% of the owners have the property as their primary residence.
For more information about the proposed ordinance, see BNA's Cooperative Housing Proposal Information Page. And follow up by Taking Action!
By signing this petition, you are indicating that you oppose Boulder's proposed Co-op Ordinance as it is currently drafted, and that you support BNA's positions on co-ops outlined above.
BNA's Privacy Policy: BNA will never distribute or sell your personal information or provide it to third parties. Your email address may be used only for BNA membership purposes. You may receive an invitation to join BNA's mailing list. Your neighborhood information will only be used in the aggregate to show how many households in specific neighborhoods support BNA's efforts.
NOTE: After signing and submitting the petition, you will be asked if you would like to make a donation to iPetitions. Note that this donation would be to iPetitions (the organization that hosts this petition), and not to BNA. Unlike other sites, iPetitions will not sell your information to a third party or allow advertising. However, if you do not wish to donate, simply close the browser window, your signature will have been recorded.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2016
September 20, 2016
We have reached one hundred signatures. I am compiling this list to present as part of our formal testimony during the next public hearing.
Reached 100 supporters
September 18, 2016
225 Comments
Coop housing in low density neighborhoods? Not a good idea. People have chosen to purchase specific homes because of the neighborhood. Rezoning existing neighborhoods can dramatically change the character of the neighborhood. Increasing coop housing is rezoning.
I adamantly oppose rental co-ops in low density Boulder neighborhoods. My family and my street facing neighbors are directly and negatively impacted by the Picklebrick coop attempting to be grandfathered in to our single family, owner occupied neighborhood.
I'm not against co-ops per se, but I am opposed to rental homes in low density neighborhoods being converted to co-ops. No effective enforcement and unscrupulous landlords will make a mockery of any good intent, and reduce affordable housing in the end.
Boulder has enough investor held housing. We have a real shortage of single family homes. We don't need greedy landlords converting single family homes into coops so they can double the rent by cramming in a dozen people.
Co-ops will not solve the problem of affordable housing for those who truly need it. Also, unless the city begins to enforce laws already on the books for things like noise, trash, parking, etc., you won't have my support.
Rental co-ops are nothing more than glorified boarding houses. I should know - there's been one next door to me for the last four years. They had a revolving door of boarders and couch-surfers the whole time. Don't let this happen to you!
Will not help home values in the neighborhoods
Anything that permits a coop entity in a zoned residential area must never result in a permanent zoning change for the individual residence.
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Coop housing in low density neighborhoods? Not a good idea. People have chosen to purchase specific homes because of the neighborhood. Rezoning existing neighborhoods can dramatically change the character of the neighborhood. Increasing coop housing is rezoning.