Building Affordability for Westminster in Public

Agenda

• Update on Affordability Agenda: Childcare, Groceries, Housing, Utilities

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Update on Affordability Agenda

I promised to lower costs across childcare, housing, groceries, and utilities, and I’m choosing to do the uncommon thing in government by building this work in public via sharing updates as I test and advance each idea. Sometimes the answer will be no, but transparency about the tradeoffs is how trust is built. I also hope sharing this publicly may help inspire other electeds from municipalities across the state.

Before you continue, please click here to provide me your ideas about affordability.

It’s been 2 months since my re-election, and I’ve gotten straight to work.

Housing

1. Are corporations pricing families out of housing in Westminster? (Status: In Progress):

   1. The test: In cities and suburbs across America, out-of-state corporations are purchasing housing stock at-scale and crowding out families and first-time buyers. In Dec 2025 I asked City staff to analyze the share of Westminster housing owned by non-individual investors (e.g. Corporations), including rental properties, out-of-state ownership, and owner-occupant purchases.

   2. The data: Staff advised that such a detailed analysis requires contracting with a research firm, so on January 5 City Council approved my request for staff to source a vendor and prepare a contract for near-term Council review.

   3. The decision: TBD

2. Other Ideas I’m still actively brainstorming: streamlining permitting and red tape; smaller lots; Tiny homes; state/county collaboration on legal aid and coordinated rental and utility assistance.

Groceries

1. Exempt groceries from sale tax (Status: Tested and ruled out):

   1. The test: In Nov 2025, I asked City staff to analyze whether Westminster could exempt groceries from the City sales tax.

   2. The data: Staff found this would reduce City revenue by roughly $24 million per year, about ~80% of our entire Fire budget. It would also risk our ability to meet debt obligations, disrupt intergovernmental agreements and revenue sharing tied to taxable sales, and more.

   3. The decision: Because of the scale of the impact, this is not a responsible option to pursue. The fight for affordability continues.

2. Other ideas I’m still actively brainstorming: ways to lower grocery prices by reducing fixed costs and barriers to entry, including supporting grocery stores as anchors in mixed use developments to spread costs across housing and commercial uses.

Utilities

1. Water rate discounts for xeriscaping (Status: In Progress)

   1. The test: In Jan 2025, I asked City staff to evaluate the feasibility and fiscal impact of offering water rate discounts for residential conservation measures, including xeriscaping and other landscape conversions, turf removal, or measurable reductions in outdoor water use.

   2. The data: TBD

   3. The decision: TBD

2. Other Ideas I’m still actively brainstorming: state-level advocacy on energy bill affordability; explore ways to lower Westminster water rates without undermining the financial stability of the system that delivers them. This may include: water tier reform, cutting capital costs faster than revenue needs to grow, and identifying alternative supplemental funding to enable water rate decreases.

Childcare

1. Childcare as Infrastructure (Status: Complete). Oct 2025 amendment to Westminster’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan that has opened all safe zoning types to childcare providers, removing one of the biggest barriers to supply and cost.

2. Other ideas I’m still actively brainstorming: Ways to activate public land or vacant buildings to lower operating costs, support providers to stabilize prices, and expand access to essential goods and resources for new parents.

Beyond City Hall

1. Finally, because many affordability decisions are made at the State Capitol, part of delivering on childcare, housing, groceries, and utilities means supporting leaders and policies beyond city limits that directly shape costs and funding for Westminster. I have endorsed several 2026 candidates who share this priority and more will be announced soon.

2. At City Council on January 5, 2026, Council approved a broad set of updates to Westminster’s Legislative Policy Statement, which directly guides the priorities of our state and federal lobbyists. Within those updates, Council approved several new affordability-focused policy principles that I proposed:

   1. “Supports and advocates for funding to expand cost, quality and access of childcare”

   2. “Supports and advocates for legislation that promotes affordable utilities”

   3. “Supports and advocates for legislation that promotes affordable groceries”

Don’t forget to submit your ideas here: Westminster Affordability Survey

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About Obi Ezeadi

Obi Ezeadi is a first-generation American, first responder (EMT) and City Councilor who champions economic, democratic, and personal freedoms for all of Westminster. He was recently re-elected to Westminster City Council with a record-breaking vote total and is prioritizing affordability in this final term. In his first 4 years, Obi came in as an outsider and delivered:

• Expanded open space and parks

• Expanded housing options (condos, townhomes, housing people can afford)

• Made water more affordable and secured clean water for generations

• Increased Mental health support

• First-ever gun violence proclamation

• First-ever Collective Bargaining Agreements for Fire and Police

• Led the establishment of free transport service for seniors & disabled residents

• Drove police vacancies down from a region-worst 13% to an area-leading 1%

• Cut car thefts by 50%

• Invested to solve unhoused crisis

• Elevated transparency and accountability with our residents