Daniel Hayes got his, but seems to want to shut the door behind him. The Golden landlord owns and manages 20 residential properties in Jefferson County, presumably renting to many who would like to one day own their own home. But now he wants to virtually shut down new home construction up and down the Front Range with a proposition to limit growth.
Hayes will petition for a 2018 proposition on the ballot that would cap building permits at a one percent growth rate during the years 2019 and 2020. It would impact counties across the Front Range, from El Paso to Larimer.
Never mind that fact that population growth combined with arcane building defect laws have led us into the fourth year of a protracted supply/demand mismatch of entry level homes in this region. The spike in property values has shut many young home buyers out of the market, and the accompanying surge in rents has suited Hayes’ business quite well.
At age 70, it looks like Hayes may be making a final push for more government interference in the housing market. We doubt that this thing has a shot at getting on the ballot for 2018, and if it does, its chances of passing are slim.