October 13, 2026
Colorado’s starter home problem isn’t just “housing is expensive” – it’s zoning, process, and a system that keeps saying yes to big homes and no to first-time buyers. Tune in if you want the simplest breakdown of why starter homes disappeared – and what cities can actually do about it. Don Elliott and Heidi Williams laid it out:
- Smaller homes on smaller lots can change the math fast.
- Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes can create more ownership options.
- Speed matters, because every extra hearing adds cost and uncertainty.
The real shift? Stop debating every project like it’s a popularity contest and set the rules up front. That’s where the Future Housing Toolkit comes in: a menu of options for local governments, builders, and planners who are ready to move. If your city keeps talking about affordability but never changes the code, you’ll want to listen.
REPORTS REFERENCED
• “Low-Density Residential (LDR) Zoning Template: https://commonsenseinstituteus.org/research/low-density-residential-ldr-zoning-template/