We have a affordability crisis in Colorado. Not just in housing, but in utilities, insurance, health care, and food. These issues are not simple nor easy to fix. They are generational and systemic and will require a complex and multi-pronged sustained effort to make Colorado affordable for all residents!

Any and all of these proposals are reliant on an updated tax code, but all need to be explored. These are systemic issues that will not be solved overnight, but we must work to make Colorado affordable for ALL residents!

One of the main systemic issues is the fact that average wages have not kept pace with the cost of living in the United States in Colorado. According to the Bell Policy Center (Colorado Housing Primer 2022 - The Bell Policy Center), between 2015 and 2022, average wages in Colorado have grown 37% while the purchase price has increased by 3 times that amount at 105%!

Many of the solutions I have heard propose to only treat the symptoms of the problem. Affordable unit set asides, vouchers, grants. I support everyone of these policies. But we must do more.

Starting with wages. In Broomfield, I supported a measure to enact a local livable wage. Unfortunately this was not successful. I also unsuccessfully sponsored an ordinance to require companies Broomfield contracts with to pay livable wages and benefits.

Labor

• Overturn the Colorado Labor Peace Act

• Regional livable wage tied directly to the cost of housing. Livable wage set at no more than 50% (ideally 30%) of the cost of a 2-bedroom apartment in any region in Colorado

• Ensure school districts are partnering with the union apprenticeship programs in their career and technical education programs as possible

• Incentivize local governments to ensure Best Value Contracting on all government contracts

• Reform wage theft laws to strengthen protections from retaliation and enact criminal liability (including felony charges as applicable) for employers and their representatives who knowingly or negligently commit wage theft.

Housing

• Limit the number of single family attached detached homes that any single for-profit entity may own in any region.

• Limit the number of multi-family units that any for profit entity may own in any region of Colorado

• Limit the number of residence that any single rental management company my manage in any region of Colorado

• All local governments to enact rental price controls in their communities

• Require fees associated with rental amenities to be overseen by an association of residents.

Healthcare/Insurance

• Require health care facilities to be physician owned or not-for-profit

• Explore state or regional single-payer health care

• Explore options for a public home casualty insurance system

• Mental Health services and reproductive care should be covered as preventative care with $0 out of pocket.

• Explore ideas to make health care more affordable. Such as:

  • Any Health insurance company operating in Colorado should be non-profit

  • Health Insurance companies should be regulated as a public utility with a cap on profit and/or executive salaries/bonus. This could be tied to a percentage of the lowest paid and/or median worker salaries

Food and Childcare

• Aggressively utilize anti-trust regulations to ensure that food cost are not manipulated by monopolistic activities.

• Prohibit hedge fund ownership of childcare facilities in Colorado

• Explore NM's universal childcare system that ensures universal access and mandates livable wages to providers

• Prohibit surge pricing in retail, including AI based adjustable pricing schemes.

Banking

• Establish a state-run bank

• General purpose bank without excessive fees

• Utilize banking revenues to establish a sovereign wealth fund to fund areas such as universal child-care

• Require credit scoring models for state bank loans to prohibit medical collection data and limit the time frame when negative life events impact borrowers' credit.

• In the absence of free in-state 2- and 4-year college degrees and trade schools, establish state student loans programs which are forgivable for teachers, medical professionals, in-demand trade programs, especially for those who serve in rural and underserved communities. Included in this is forgivable loans for medical professionals who serve in reproductive health fields, including abortion care.