Housing
Housing is a human right. The key to a healthy, diverse, and vibrant community is access to safe, secure, habitable, and affordable homes. Without accessible, affordable housing many families of school-aged children cannot afford to move here, and even more cannot afford to stay. Our housing crisis also impacts the number of healthcare workers, teachers, and hourly-wage earners who must commute in to our city every day.
Boulder Progressives advocates for more housing that meets the needs of our middle and low income community members, including families, seniors, and students. We recognize that in order to meet our housing needs while still prioritizing the preservation of our natural environment, we must focus on climate-friendly, higher-density, walkable neighborhoods and occupancy standards that do not discriminate based on familial status.
Transportation
People across our community need better transportation options that allow them to live healthy, connected, active lives. At present automobiles account for almost 30% of Boulder’s annual greenhouse gas emissions and 60k people commute into our city every day as a direct result of our housing supply shortage.
Boulder Progressives advocates for building and maintaining improved infrastructure that fully supports walking, cycling, and public transit options. When fewer people have to rely on personal automobiles to move around our city, our streets are safer, our air is cleaner, and our whole city benefits. We believe that equitable, climate-friendly, and community-building transportation options are central to healthy, thriving city.
Homelessness
Homelessness is a growing concern across the nation, and Boulder is no exception. We need real, meaningful, and lasting solutions to fight this crisis, we cannot simply police people out of poverty and into housing.
Boulder Progressives advocates for more shelter beds, safe outdoor spaces, transitional housing facilities, low-income housing, and programs that support people in danger of losing their housing, as well as mental health, behavioral health, and safe substance use and recovery programs. Boulder Progressives also advocates for increased infrastructure around public restrooms, water fountains, and waste receptacles to support safe space for all.
LGBTQIA+
It has been less that 10 years since same sex marriage was recognized by our federal government, and what took decades to win can be lost in an instant.
Since 2016 we have seen a new war launched against many of our key democratic values. People across the country are in danger of losing the right to marry, the right to start a family, the right *not* to start a family, the right to bodily autonomy, and the right to raise their children. Members of our LGBTQ+ are under threat of violence on a regular basis from their government and from their communities due simply to who they are.
Boulder Progressives will always stand with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.
Vitality
Boulder is at its best when its outdoor spaces are filled with people who are enjoying time with each other in this incredible place that we call home. Creating great public spaces requires fresh and evolving forms of engagement. Vibrant and engaged public spaces support diversity by making Boulder a community welcoming for people of all racial backgrounds, gender identities, and income levels.
Boulder Progressives advocates for the creation of activated and car-free public places throughout our city that are thoughtfully designed to encourage informal gathering, lingering, and chance encounters. We support design choices that promote self-expression, public art, outdoor music, and child-friendly spaces for play, and we advocate for use-models and designs that are truly accessible and welcoming to all members of our community.
Education
Public schools are the cornerstone of our neighborhoods and are central to building community for Boulder’s children and families. Excellent teachers, comprehensive educational opportunities, and top-notch course offerings give students access to the world around them and open the doors to sustainable career paths.
Boulder Progressives advocates for equitable and inclusive public schools that meet the needs of all students. Boulder Progressives also advocates for classrooms, curricula, and policy that recognize and value the diversity of the families and individuals who make up our community.
Police and Public Safety
Policing shows up differently for different subsets of the community. Critical disparities exist in enforcement, and for far too long Black, Indigenous, and Latino members of our community, and Communities of Color across our nation, have reported routine mistreatment by law enforcement.
Boulder Progressives believes police must be held accountable when their actions tread upon civil rights and that policing should not be the response to every social problem. We understand that sometimes a response from an armed police officer is the right solution for a problem, and that other times, sending out armed personnel escalates a situation rather than promoting peaceful resolution. Boulder Progressives advocates for well-funded and comprehensive alternative responder programs, particularly in situations involving mental health needs, trespassing, nuisance violations, and other situations that don't involve threats to persons.
Climate
Addressing the climate emergency requires new thinking and challenging the assumptions of yesterday's environmental approaches.
Following the lead of today's environmental leaders, Boulder Progressives recognizes that protecting natural spaces outside of city centers and reducing carbon emissions requires cities to do their part by allowing more people to live closer together, through multi-family housing, zoning changes that accommodate new housing types, and permitting housing construction on smaller and subdivided lots. Recognizing the importance of reducing single occupancy vehicle trips, Boulder Progressives advocates for a robust bus network that is frequent, fast, and affordable and for a safe, protected network of bike lanes that makes it possible to reduce or eliminate reliance on personal vehicles.