Valid Criticism of CU's Land Swap

In the ongoing dialogue between Nick Sprayregen and the community there has been a health exchange over the parameters of the proposed land swap. Many of the concerns raised are valid in their focus on the level of affordable housing that needs to come out of any negotiations with the university.

It seems to us that the key point here is that any agreement between CU and Nick that yields only (approx) 1,000 units of affordable housing is not sufficient to address the real needs of the community. This is especially true since the university's expansion is projected to directly and indirectly displace more than 5,000 residents.

Therefore, it makes sense for the community to treat the swap as simply a good start-not a dramatic breakthrough that absolves Columbia of all of its housing responsibilities. So we were probably way too expansive when we remarked that the swap would give the community the affordable housing that it "desperately needs." Better phrased would have been that the swap would be a good start toward giving the community the affordable housing that it deserves!