Common Sense Unfiltered

Colorado’s starter home problem isn’t just “housing is expensive” - it’s zoning, process, and a system that keeps saying yes to big homes and no to first-time buyers. Tune in if you want the simplest breakdown of why starter homes disappeared - and what cities can actually do about it. Don Elliott and Heidi Williams laid it out: Smaller homes on smaller lots can change the math fast. Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes can create more ownership options. Speed matters, because every extra hearing adds cost and uncertainty. The real shift? Stop debating every project like it’s a popularity contest and set the rules up front. That’s where the Future Housing Toolkit comes in: a menu of options for local governments, builders, and planners who are ready to move. If your city keeps talking about affordability but never changes the code, you'll want to listen.

CSI CEO Cinamon Watson discusses the 2026 Colorado ballot initiatives with CSI's Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow, Ross Kaminsky REPORTS REFERENCED • “The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Proposition NN” (CSI, August 2026) — https://commonsenseinstituteus.org/research/the-economic-and-fiscal-impacts-of-proposition-nn/ • “How Initiative #195’s Progressive Tax Structure Would Affect Colorado’s Economy” (CSI, June 2026) — https://commonsenseinstituteus.org/research/how-initiative-195s-progressive-tax-structure-would-affect-colorados-economy/ • “Colorado Initiative 232: Income Tax Rate Cap” (CSI, August 2026) — https://commonsenseinstituteus.org/research/colorado-initiative-232-income-tax-rate-cap/  

This episode of Common Sense Unfiltered features experts discussing the trajectory of CSI Iowa, the economic impact of restricting interchange fees in Iowa, and analyzing Iowa HSB 324, as well as exploring the broader implications for small businesses, consumers, and the economy. Resources: CSI Iowa Report: The Economic Impact of Restricting Interchange Fees in Iowa - https://csinstituteia.org/research/impact-of-restricting-interchange-fees Common Sense Institute Iowa - https://csinstituteia.org  

CSI CEO Cinamon Watson discusses new CSI report findings with experts Mike King, Greg Walcher, and Cole Anderson.  Read the latest report by CSI Fellows Mike King and Greg Walcher unravelling the complexities of river and stream access in Colorado: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/energy-and-our-environment/public-access-and-private-property-the-economics-of-colorado-river-access Chapters 00:00 Introduction to River Access Controversy 01:57 Current Legal Framework and Historical Context 03:01 Scope of the Issue: River Miles and Ownership 05:23 Economic Value of Private Stream Access 08:57 Case Study: Terryall Creek and Property Value Impact 12:12 Potential Costs of Changing Access Laws 14:55 Legal Precedents and Historical Resistance 17:42 Comparative Analysis with Other States 19:55 Current Legislative Landscape and Future Outlook 21:18 Key Takeaways for Property Owners

CSI's Cinamon Watson, Katie Ratlief, and Kelly Caufield invite Dustin Zvonek onto Common Sense Unfiltered to discuss CSI's latest homelessness research.

On April 15, 2025, the White House issued an executive order (E.O.) 14241 “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production” aimed at strengthening the United States’ supply of critical minerals and addressing associated national security concerns. This executive action mandates the development of a comprehensive report to identify vulnerabilities within critical mineral supply chains and to provide strategic recommendations for enhancing sustainable domestic production. In this episode of Colorado Clarity, we discuss the economic impacts of mineral mining and alternative energy production in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, driven by the implementation of Executive Order 14241. The order, aimed at securing a stable domestic supply of critical minerals and accelerating the transition to clean energy, has catalyzed renewed interest in resource-rich regions of the American West. These three states, endowed with vast mineral reserves and renewable energy potential, stand at the forefront of this shift. We dig into the data, discuss what could come next, and more. Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. The study: "Executive Action & Extraction: Economic Impacts of the Mineral E.O. in the West" can be found here. Our research can be found here. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Rapid economic and population growth in Arizona’s dry central valley has created tremendous wealth and opportunity. Rapid development also has caused many state and national leaders and several members of the media to declare the region “out of water” and to demand an end to growth as the solution. Like other southwestern states, it is clear the valley is in need of more water than the Colorado River alone can reliably support. There are other water supplies available, however, given the means to use them. Development and growth do not need to be curtailed. Given the relatively small water needs for most non-agricultural purposes and for residential development in the water-efficient urban core of our state, Arizona could solve the valley’s water problems with infrastructure — even if that water ends up being relatively expensive and if rural agriculture continues demanding the lion’s share of the supply. Current law treats water as a common public good; there have been only limited experiments so far with privatization and exchange. While these markets have not yet been tested, they show promise. On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Glenn Farley joins Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss our research report "Arizona's Urban Desert Miracle" and unpack the issues surrounding water in the desert, the creativity required to address those issues, and how Arizona can move forward with a growth mindset while ensuring enough water for all.  Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

There are two broad approaches to homelessness. Housing first prioritizes providing stable, permanent housing to individuals experiencing homelessness without preconditions such as sobriety, employment, or mental health treatment. The core idea is that housing is a basic human right, and that once a person has a secure place to live, they are better able to address other challenges like mental health, substance use, or unemployment.  The second approach is best described as intervention first or work first. Under this approach, providers use a tiered system of shelter, treatment, and training to build self-sufficiency. Housing is assumed to be the byproduct of self-governing behavior rather than a human right. Program residents must abide by sobriety rules, work or workforce training requirements, and potentially contribute portions of their pay to the program itself.  As homelessness has grown in Colorado and in the Denver metro area, some local and state leaders have championed housing first policies. Denver’s All In Mile High program embodies a housing first approach. Other cities have adopted work first policies, meanwhile, but these programs are generally unable to secure federal aid due to HUD’s housing first prioritization.  CSI has analyzed the trends associated with each approach to better understand outcomes and this podcast episode delves into the issue more deeply.  Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. The study: "No Place to Call Home: The Stark Reality of Homelessness in Colorado" can be found here. Our research can be found here. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Common Sense Institute recently published a study titled "Highway Detours: The Ongoing Shift of Transportation Dollars." It was authored by our Transportation Fellow Ben Stein, who, in 2006 became the Budget Director for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). At CDOT he oversaw the development and execution of the annual budget for the department which then had an annual budget in excess of $1 billion and more than 3,000 employees. In October 2010, Stein was selected to become CDOT’s Chief Financial Officer (Senior Executive Service). During his tenure at CDOT he also managed numerous complex financial transactions. These included private placements, the inaugural issuance of bonds by the Colorado Bridge Enterprise, the U.S 36 Public Private Partnership, and the I-70 Central Viaduct replacement project. In the report, Ben explores four issues that contribute to the state’s difficulties: geography and demography, a focus on environmental impacts, inflation, and revenues and funding. Additionally, in the past, ballot initiatives have had limited success. In this episode of Common Sense Digest, Ben joins Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss these problems and offer a path forward that will help meet the transportation needs of state residents in a fiscally responsible way.  Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Our host DJ Summers, Director of Policy and Research for Common Sense Institute, delves deeper into CSI's recent report "Returning Government Employees to Work a Boon for Urban Economy" on this episode of Colorado Clarity. On January 20, 2025, the new presidential administration indicated a desire to have all federal employees return to in-person work. The administration directed all executive branch departments and agencies to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis. What could the impacts of such a move be? What trade-offs exist? What story do the numbers tell? All of that and more can be found in this episode of Colorado Clarity. Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. Our research can be found here. All of our podcasts can be found here.