Better Boulder wants to give you a quick thank you for your support of the co-op ordinance and an update about how it has benefited co-op members and the surrounding community. Better Boulder proudly supported allowing co-ops in our city because – although it’s not for everyone – enabling more people to share space more efficiently and economically with strong community values is exactly what we need more of in this town.
As you may recall, last year in February City Council passed an ordinance to allow up to 12 or 15 people share homes. The ordinance included many, many hoops for prospective co-opers to jump through, but it has proved to be functional. In February of this year – only six months after the application process was opened – Council almost opened the ordinance for additional, potentially more restrictive measures, but through effective organizing was convinced that it would be prudent to give the process and the co-opers a little more time.
Like many other city licenses, the application process was arduous, but we currently have 6 licensed co-ops in town – five of which were pre-existing houses that no longer fear being removed from their homes. Including the non-profit run Boulder Housing Coalition houses, there are now nine co-ops in town which house nearly 120 people. These houses range from Iris to south of Table Mesa and range in communities from the homesteading, geoscientist house to the radical, queer and trans house to the spiritual, mediation house. There may a vegan house on the way and there are some preliminary scoping of converting one of the rental co-ops into a permanently affordable, non-profit co-op.
From our experience, we think these co-ops will be great neighbors and add the character of this community. We wish them luck and thank you again for any support you showed to them during this long political process.