What the affordable housing measures in Louisville could mean for the Colorado city's future

Voters in Louisville, Colorado, will answer two questions this Election Day that will shape the city's future growth. The ballot measures, 300 and 301, both concern affordable housing. Measure 300 proposes raising the amount of affordable housing that must come with new developments, and Measure 301 proposes possible higher fees for those developers.

However, what can be confusing for voters is the fact that those on both sides of these measures say they support affordable housing. The difference between those supporting the measures and those who are against them comes when assessing these changes through the lens of the city's future growth overall.

For this reason, even though Louisville's Mayor Chris Leh isn't on the ballot this year, he's still campaigning as he opposes issues 300 and 301, explaining, "All seven of us on city council are against [them]."

Measure 300 asks developers to create more affordable housing with every project, which would change the current 12% goal to 30%. Leh worries this measure may have the opposite effect than it claims it will.

"This one simply raises that bar so high that there won't be anybody who will come forward to want to build anything. They will go to another community that has a lower percentage," Leh explained, "That means no housing, no affordable housing."

But those behind the ballot measures say they're focused on the fewer projects that could still get built.

Sherry Sommer and Tamar Krantz campaigned outside the Louisville Recreation Center last week, sharing with CBS Colorado their efforts to support the measures.

"Do we really need thousands of new market-rate houses here? Do we need them so badly?" Sommer said.

Krantz added her belief that by more than doubling the current requirement, it could help with the current goal. "This will help us make a good faith effort towards that 12% goal," Krantz said.

Still, as both sides claim to support affordable housing, many of the area housing organizations are sharing their stances, largely opposing the measures. This includes Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, Thistle Community Housing, and Together Colorado have all opposed the measures.

Susan Gibson is a community organizer who advocates for affordable housing with Colorado Together. "I would say that they're being really naive," Gibson said, "I have seen what happened when the housing costs started to rise so much all around us and in my own community."

That rise in cost could come if housing options remain limited, but supporters of the measure say they're confident development will continue.

"We're anticipating a lot of residential growth. So, this is a chance for us to have a public benefit from that growth. We want to see affordable housing that would be the public benefit," Sommer said.

And this election day, that decision guiding the city's future growth is up to the public.

"I think the future of the city is bright. I believe in the power of the vote," Leh said.