Longmont City Council candidates were asked to answer a survey on affordable housing by the East County Housing Opportunity Coalition, or ECHO, — a nonprofit organization that educates, informs and trains East Boulder County residents about local affordable housing needs, according to the website.
On the site for the survey, ECHO announced that any candidates not represented did not return the questionnaire.
The following are the answers provided by each candidate along with the questions asked. To keep each entry short the responses are broken up by candidate through a series that will be published throughout the week.
Sean McCoy
1. What is your 10 year vision for affordable housing in Longmont?
My 10 year vision for affordable housing in Longmont, is that we build back the inventory we lost in 2009 when the affordable housing requirement was removed by the city council. I feel that the only way of doing that is to increase the percentage that we ask of all new development. We need to take a much more aggressive stance. I explain this in some of the other questions that you ask in your questionnaire.
2. Longmont has a goal of achieving 12% affordable housing by 2035. Is this the right goal? What concrete proposals would you add to city policies to meet or exceed that goal?
I believe that in these current times we need to bring the affordable housing requirement to 15%. I would support a city ordinance that establishes just that.
3. What changes would you make to the inclusionary housing ordinance in Longmont, if any?
At this point I don’t see any changes I would make to the inclusionary housing, for the exception of bringing it to 15%. As I expressed in the above question.
4. Will you proactively promote more affordable housing at transit stops designed to get people out of their cars, including greater density at those locations?
Yes, through smart growth decisions. We need to send a clear message to the development community that the days of urban sprawl and Levittown developments are over. Longmont has developed that way, for far too long. The southwest side from Airport and Nelson is a disastrous unwalkable nightmare that isolates senior citizens, makes it difficult for children to walk to schools and discourages alternative ways of transportation or addresses true affordable housing.
5. What does smart growth mean to you, and how would you ensure that all new developments are “smart”?
Smart Growth is targeted growth that focuses where we as a community are interested in growing. Specifically, from Martin Street to Main Street along the river. We need only to develop where we can promote more walkability, bikeability and close to the future proposed 1st avenue train station. Development like this is environmentally efficient and climate friendly and it has a more densely populated footprint on our community.
6. What do you understand about the history of racism that has led to People of Color owning less property, and thus having less wealth than white people? What policies would you actively support to make up for years of racism in housing policy?
Both my wife and I have served at different times on the Longmont Historic Preservation Commission so we are very much aware of Longmont’s discriminatory history. As a Boulder Valley School District US History teacher I am also acutely aware of the historic systemic racism that this part of the county has contributed to the lack of success of people of color. I would actively fight for the rights of all Longmont citizens, always remembering the tragedies of the past. I will support city and county as well as state legislation that promotes greater opportunities for Longmont’s community of color.
7. Do you think neighborhood opposition should be able to derail development projects that are consistent with the pre-approved goals and values of the City? Please explain.
Yes, this is the right of citizens to disagree with ideas established in earlier times. What works for a community in theory in the past may not work for that community in reality in the future. We are not here to see a speculative venture by a developer become profitable just because of a long range community development plan that was agreed upon 20 years before. It is important that we address the needs of the community we live in today.
8. Do you see a role for the City in limiting vacation rentals and investor-owned property as a way of keeping housing costs down? Please explain.
I am in favor of limiting vacation rentals as they have notoriously been used for nefarious activities that later endanger the health of future occupants. To the issue of investor-owned property limits as a way of keeping cost down. It would not pass the state legislature and if it did it likely would be
challenged very quickly in the Colorado Supreme Court. We need to be careful not to get into situations that will cost the City of Longmont, in court fees and fines. We need to demonstrate temper and prudence in the ordinances we approve.
9. Would you support lifting the state statute banning rent control.____yes _SPM_no. Explain.
I believe in encouraging more landlords to participate in the Section 8 program. That is defined in the following: “In Colorado, eligible applicants locate a unit in the private rental market. Rent must be within the current allowed Payment Standards. The tenant pays between 30% and 40% of their gross income for rent. Participants are required to have an annual inspection.” As a former landlord that has rented to section 8 qualified tenants, I feel that the arrangement is more than fair and equitable to all contractually bound parties. I feel that rent control takes the capitalistic incentive out of the equation and disadvantaged the property owner. Like me, my rental was the product of hard work and saving as well as a lot of doing without. Rent control is not a win-win outcome but a tenant win and property owner loss scenario that just breeds dissention between two parties. I would not support a lifting of the state ban on rent control.
10. Is there a role for local government in enforcing Colorado’s warranty of habitability laws? ____yes _SPM__no. Explain.
The driving question I believe is: Why? Why are we doing this? If there is a serious and real issue that we need to address with the majority of property owners and property management associations because they are abusing tenants, as well as not adhering to municipal regulations, then there is cause to be alarmed. Then a licensing requirement is appropriate. I do not think that is the case. I know like in any sector of industry and the economy there are a few bad apples. We can deal with them on a case-by-case basis. I believe that the vast majority of property owners and property manager associations have the best intentions to try to adhere to municipal regulations and equitable legal leasing contracts. I believe that we do not need to grow government for the sake of growing government and in this case, I believe that this would be the result. This will not do anything but be a revenue creator for the city. I believe that it would be better to hire a real-estate rental expert, a city staffmember, who can help educate new and current property owners maneuver through our city’s practices and policies as well as help mediate when necessary. I do not want to have licensing requirements in place that scares the property owners into thinking the only way to stay in compliance is to use a property management company. I believe this would overwhelm even the most robust property management company. Thus, we would likely get more complaints and conflicts between tenants and landlords.
