Bennet and Weiser Compare Affordable Housing Plans for Western Slope

Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser want to be your next governor. They also want to fix the affordable home shortage on the Western Slope. The Summit Daily asked them how. The answers reveal a state divided by geography and a party split on solutions.

Bennet leads with family. His wife Susan and their three girls live here. He says the problem isn’t just a Front Range issue. It’s a High Country issue. It’s a statewide issue. He promises no Coloradan pays more than 30% of their income on housing. That’s a specific number. It’s a hard cap.

Weiser leads with data. Colorado ranks 43rd in affordability. It’s 48th for homeownership. We are short 80,000 homes priced between $150,000 and $500,000. That gap hurts working people. Weiser wants to close it by 50% by 2035. He wants 40,000 new attainable homes. He wants 100,000 renters to stop spending half their income on shelter.

Both agree on one thing: Denver’s way doesn’t always work in Glenwood or Frisco.

Bennet calls it "one size does not fit all." He wants to cut red tape. He wants to streamline permitting. He wants to use the state balance sheet to finance new housing. He mentions Prop. 123. He says state programs must work for mountain communities. He supports cost buy-downs. He supports ADU construction. He supports permanent workforce housing. He’s the only one promising the 30% cap.

Weiser calls it a "multi-pronged solution." He doesn’t trust a single fix. He wants new construction. He wants to preserve existing units. He wants to lower building permit fees. He wants to protect renters. He wants down payment support for first-timers. He wants regional collaboration. He wants oversight. He wants accountability.

The question is whether locals trust the state to deliver.

Bennet promises to work closely with High Country communities. He mentions homebuilders. He mentions labor. He mentions nonprofits. He’s building a coalition.

Weiser promises a near-term goal. 2035 is the deadline. He’s targeting owner-occupied housing. He’s targeting renters. He’s targeting the $150,000 to $500,000 price point. That’s the sweet spot for many Western Slope workers.

Both candidates are running for the June 30 Democratic primary. They’re not running against Republicans yet. They’re running against each other.

The Summit Daily asked five questions. This is the housing answer. The rest is about taxes and tourism.

Bennet’s pitch is emotional and structural. Family first. State-backed financing. Regulatory cuts.

Weiser’s pitch is mathematical and administrative. Numbers first. Regional deals. Fee reductions.

Locals in the valley are watching. They see the housing prices. They see the short-term rentals. They see the commute. They know the state government is far away. They wonder if a governor in Denver will actually listen to a mayor in Glenwood.

Bennet says he will. Weiser says he must.

The short version: Bennet offers a cap. Weiser offers a plan. Both offer promises. The voters decide which promise is worth more.

The primary is in June. The affordability gap is now.