Opinion: Co-op ordinance has fundamental problems
Boulder’s current draft ordinance for co-operative housing units (“co-ops”) has a very long way to go to balance the desires and concerns of the various parties while preserving Boulder’s neighborhoods. There are big problems with trying to allow co-ops to operate in rental units. It is almost impossible to objectively distinguish a co-op from an over-occupied rental. Saying, “I know one when I see one,” the current city mantra, does not provide a bright line for enforcement officers or the courts. Allowing a third party that promotes co-ops to “certify” them is crazy, because they are likely to approve questionable groups just to gain constituents. Requiring the co-op groups to be incorporated will just create a cottage industry to do the paperwork, no doubt funded by landlords interested in higher occupancies and rents, but providing no particular benefit to the neighbors. Finally, allowing rental co-ops will accentuate the conflicts between landlords and neighboring owner-reside