Max Nardo
maxnardoco.bsky.social
Max Nardo
@maxnardoco.bsky.social
90 followers 160 following 10 posts
I like plants and work on housing and sustainable land use in Colorado
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With CO's Strategic Growth Report due this month, my colleague Caroline wrote about why we need smart growth to tackle climate change and what's on deck👇
(1/2) The CO Energy Office modeled how smart land use policies impact GHG emissions &climate risks. The results:
🏘️ -31% building emissions
🚗 -15% household transpo emissions
🌲 +30% of new homes shifted from greenfield development to infill
🔥 -Tens of thousands fewer homes in wildfire-prone areas
New post about how bulk transit passes are incredibly affordable and pair nicely with new parking reform and TOD laws.

New tools in SB25-161 expand this program - let's use them!

Written with James Flattum from @greatdentransit.bsky.social
Great article by Max Nardo & our very own James Flattum about the opportunities eliminating parking minimums pared with increased Neighborhood EcoPass update could provide for incurring @RideRTD ridership.

housingforwardco.org/untapped-pot...
Untapped Potential of RTD’s Neighborhood EcoPass
A low-cost policy to speed Colorado’s shift to sustainable, affordable communities | Housing Forward Colorado, a project of SWEEP
housingforwardco.org
Reposted by Max Nardo
Great new op-ed from State Rep Stewart on the benefits of Lakewood's zoning code proposal to expand housing choices by legalizing "missing middle housing".

These housing options cost $230k less than single detached homes. They also reduce driving & energy/water use.
coloradosun.com/2025/08/07/o...
Opinion: Lakewood’s attempt to increase “middle housing” would be big step to address crisis in Colorado
With updates to zoning laws, Lakewood officials can lead other communities down a path to fixing housing shortages and costs.
coloradosun.com
Reposted by Max Nardo
After a long night, Denver city council voted 9-3 to eliminate minimum parking requirements for all uses citywide! 👏
It's nice to see support for townhomes gaining traction locally. Chart is from Lakewood's 2024 housing plan, text is from Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment outreach (reported by KOAA)
Remember those 2024 Colorado land use laws that were a pretty big deal? Wonder how they're working?

We have been documenting city policy updates since then 📜

Did you know that in Grand Junction you can build 2 ADUs at your house? Learn more local flavors of these policies in our report ⬇️
By a vote of 7-0 on 6/23, Wheat Ridge CO eliminated minimum parking requirements for multifamily residential in all areas of the city.
Councilor Hultin: "This is an opportunity to leverage our land use for housing and bring more attainable housing opportunities to the city"
As Colorado cities consider their next moves, Portland shows how zoning reform can deliver more homes and more choices through gentle incremental housing development.

Check out the blog ⬇️
Expanding Housing Choices in Colorado
Smaller homes on smaller lots delivering options and affordability in Portland…
housingforwardco.org
The big concerns? Overdevelopment, neighborhood character, displacement.
The outcomes so far?
✅Steady, modest production
✅Distributed across neighborhoods
✅No overconcentration in areas vulnerable to displacement
✅No increase in demolitions, and >2x as many homes built per demolition
Portland legalized smaller homes—like duplexes, triplexes, and cottage clusters—on most residential lots. 3 years in, this shift has led to hundreds of new homes per year in walkable neighborhoods, selling for $100s of thousands less than single detached houses.
Colorado faces a shortage of affordable, diverse housing options. Our new blog looks to Portland, Oregon, for lessons on how middle housing reforms can help fix that🏘️
From SWEEP and our new Housing Forward Colorado campaign
Expanding Housing Choices in Colorado
Smaller homes on smaller lots delivering options and affordability in Portland…
housingforwardco.org