Vote no on housing question 3A to keep Littleton from getting an annoying HOA (Opinion)

I was once one of those people Until I purchased a house in my mid-thirties I rented I also know those people Several friends rent saving to buy a home Others own condos or townhomes I might even enable one of those people by building an accessory dwelling unit ADU above my garage to bring in chosen income or I could become those people once again by moving into a duplex or townhome after retiring On behalf of all of us those people the just starting out -somethings the young married couples saving for a home together the retirees the starting overs and the singletons looking to develop their modest lot I voted no on Littleton ballot measure A The proposal would amend the city s charter to restrict land use property rights and changes to zoning for single-family homes and neighborhoods The proposal would erect restrictions to the building of affordable housing such as duplexes condos townhomes and ADUs and make it more complicated for people to find an affordable home for purchase in Littleton or to alter their own property to meet their requirements If I desired a small group to dictate what I could do with my property I would have moved into a neighborhood with a Homeowners Association and a lengthy list of mandates A would HOA a whole city No thanks Moreover by amending the city s constitution the proposal would freeze residential land use code as it was at the beginning of this year Changes henceforth would require a citizen-initiated ballot measure and the city council could no longer make common sense changes as needed Proponents would have you believe that the city is worse off for advance That couldn t be further from the truth I grew up just outside the city limits Back in the s and s there was little reason to visit Littleton That began to change as people moved into the city and commercial and residential properties were redeveloped and new developments were added Twenty years ago I bought a house in Littleton and have watched as the city has gotten better and better thanks to all of the new people new money new ideas and new enhancement In the present day we have a charming revitalized downtown new shopping and dining options on Littleton Belleview Broadway and Santa Fe thoroughfares and more beautiful parks and bike trails Cultural assets like the Littleton Museum Hudson Gardens and the Town Hall Arts Center and longtime local gems like Reinke Brothers and Romano s Pizzeria are better than ever Littleton is a wonderful small city and its best days are ahead Thank goodness no tried to stop its anticipated from being developed decades ago by freezing zoning and maturation Littleton welcomed newcomers all those people who required to make a new start in a little city and the city has thrived Even though I right now have a single-family home I welcome a full range of housing options and new neighbors who want to plant roots in the city I call home That s why I voted against A and urge others to do the same Krista Kafer is a Sunday Denver Post columnist Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns editorials and more To send a letter to the editor about this article submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail