At a recent candidate forum, every candidate running for City Council said they wanted to increase Boulder’s housing supply. But what does that mean, exactly? I am not going to be one of those candidates who promises you that if I am elected, housing will suddenly be affordable and families will come back. The truth is: housing is one of the most complicated and nuanced challenges we have.

For decades, Boulder intentionally restricted housing supply, helping drive prices higher and pushing workers and families out of the community. Over the past decade, we have begun changing course and seeking to build more. But “just build more” is not getting us where we want to go either.

I think part of the problem is the way we talk about housing, as if it were one thing. It isn’t. Housing comes in different forms and with different ownership models. When those models intersect with zoning categories that allow different levels of density, they produce very different outcomes.