Mason Roberts

this statement was made just yesterday

Techstars to bring back Boulder accelerator in 2026 The technology accelerator also had its latest Demo Day in Denver for startups with new tech for workforce development.

"David Cohen calls last year’s tumultuous restructuring of Techstars the “awkward teenage years,” which included a decision to move the company’s headquarters to New York and end the local business accelerator in its hometown of Boulder."

Measles fears in Texas cause flood of parents to seek vaccine There are now more than 720 cases in Texas, the majority of whom were unvaccinated

Anti-Vaccine elitism depends upon one thing. The quality of your neighbor's vaccine. The rate of infants and children getting vaccinated against measles etc. Is climbing rapidly in Texas.

The cuts to Medicaid and Medicare will cut hospital revenue dramatically and likely cause facility closures, thereby affecting the availability of healthcare for everyone.

MASSIVE new study of Iran's UBI-like monthly cash program:
- Adult work didn't go down
- CHILD LABOUR went down to focus on school
- Drug use didn't go up

Trump cuts will lead to more deaths in disasters, expert warns: ‘It is really scary’ Layoffs and funding cuts to Fema and Noaa will impact how they predict and respond to disasters, warns professor Samantha Montano

The 47 admin’s sweeping cuts to disaster management will cost lives in the US, because hollowed-out agencies will be unable to accurately predict, prepare for or respond to extreme weather events, earthquakes & pandemics,

No pay wall.

Estimated Budgetary Effects of a Bill to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Budget on May 18, 2025

The latest estimates from CBO find the House Republican budget plan would increase the number of people uninsured by about 10 million.

** 7.6 million from Medicaid changes.
** 1 million from Energy and Commerce ACA changes.
** 2.1 million from Ways and Means ACA changes.
www.cbo.gov/publication/...

A graph showing the price per pound for different vehicles and types of cheese. There are a surprising number of cheeses in the top half, such as Roquefort.

This is the best graph I've seen in a while 📊

State-Mandated Opioid Use Disorder Treatment In Maryland Jails Helped Patients Recover Despite Gaps In Care | Health Affairs Journal Providing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) reduces overdose risk after release from a carceral facility. In 2019, Maryland enacted a comprehensive law mandating that all jails provide all th...

Let’s make sure our jails and systems are built to reduce harm, not reinforce it.

www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...

#HarmReduction #AddictionTreatment #PublicHealth #Boulder #OUD #CriminalJusticeReform #MOUD

This feels highly relevant for Boulder, where so many cycles of incarceration and homelessness stem from untreated addiction. We can't ignore housing, behavioral health, and reentry support, but this kind of treatment-first policy is a critical step forward.

People who were incarcerated said:

MOUD helped them stabilize and avoid using again after release.

Jail-based care worked better than previous experiences where they were forced to detox without support.

Lack of counseling and stigma from staff made things harder but access to MOUD saved lives.

Promising evidence from Maryland on treating opioid use disorder in jail.

A new Health Affairs study finds that providing all 3 FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Maryland jails helped reduce relapse, overdose, and recidivism even when implementation wasn’t perfect.

How to Fix Housing: The Pivot from Localism to Regionalism and Rule of Law - Roosevelt Institute This essay is part of Roosevelt’s 2025 collection, Restoring Economic Democracy: Progressive Ideas for Stability and Prosperity. The American planning system’s guiding principle is localism. The comme...

We need more than good intentions.

We need governance structures that make it possible to build for everyone.

Full read here:
rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/how-to-...
#BoulderHousing #YIMBY #HousingPolicy #BuiltEnvironment

If Boulder wants to stay livable not just for homeowners, but for teachers, EMTs, artists, and families we’ll need to be bold.

We can’t solve a regional housing crisis one parcel at a time.

Recent data shows:

Median list price in Boulder: $828K (up 24.7% YoY)

Median sale price: $702K (down slightly)

The gap? A symptom of affordability mismatches and seller expectations.

Boulder folks: this hits close to home.

Strict zoning, local pushback, and slow permitting timelines have kept our prices high and inventory low even as demand has started to soften.

The piece calls for stronger regional governance on housing, arguing that fair housing shouldn’t stop at the city line.

It’s a push to treat housing as infrastructure, not just neighborhood aesthetics.

#FairHousing #RegionalPlanning

Local control over zoning and permitting once seen as democratic now acts as a bottleneck for housing.

Fragmented decision-making allows small groups to block projects that serve broader regional needs.

#LandUse #ZoningReform

How to Fix Housing: The Pivot from Localism to Regionalism and Rule of Law - Roosevelt Institute This essay is part of Roosevelt’s 2025 collection, Restoring Economic Democracy: Progressive Ideas for Stability and Prosperity. The American planning system’s guiding principle is localism. The comme...

“How to Fix Housing” from the Roosevelt Institute has been making the rounds and for good reason.

It argues that our housing crisis isn’t just about supply or demand, it’s about who gets to say "no."

rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/how-to-...
#HousingCrisis #YIMBY

Boulder considers tax targeting second homes for 2025 ballot - Boulder Weekly City council will discuss potential ballot items for the November 2025 election at its May 8 study session including a vacant home tax or fee

For more details on these proposals and to stay updated on the council's decisions, read the full article here:

boulderweekly.com/news/gov-wat...

#HousingPolicy #VacancyTax
#AffordableHousing
#UrbanPlanning

Residents are encouraged to participate in the upcoming public hearings to voice their opinions on these proposals. Engaging in these discussions is vital for shaping Boulder's future policies and addressing community needs.

Understanding the experiences of other communities can guide Boulder's approach to addressing housing challenges through taxation policies.

Implementing a vacancy tax could incentivize property utilization and generate revenue for affordable housing. However, it's crucial to consider local housing dynamics and integrate the tax into a comprehensive housing policy to ensure effectiveness.

Studies suggest vacancy taxes can reduce the number of empty homes. For instance, a tax in France led to a 13% decrease in vacant properties. However, the impact on overall housing affordability varies, indicating that such taxes are more effective when part of a broader housing strategy.

Washington D.C. imposes a tax of 5-10% of property values on vacant or blighted properties, incentivizing owners to rehabilitate or sell these properties, thereby reducing urban blight.

San Francisco and Berkeley implemented vacancy taxes targeting properties unoccupied for extended periods. While these measures raised revenue, their impact on increasing housing supply remains under evaluation.

In South Lake Tahoe, California, Measure N proposed taxing vacation homes left vacant for more than 182 days annually. With 44% of homes vacant, the measure aimed to generate $8 million in its first year to fund affordable housing and infrastructure improvements.

Vancouver introduced its Empty Homes Tax in 2017 to combat housing shortages. The tax led to a 54% decrease in vacant properties and generated over CAD 115 million, which was reinvested into affordable housing initiatives.

As Boulder considers a vacancy tax to address housing shortages, it's insightful to examine how similar measures have played out elsewhere.

A thread:

By slashing teams that gather critical data, the Trump administration has left the federal government with no way of understanding if policies are working — and created a black hole of information whose consequences could ripple out for decades: propub.li/3RZzqHP

📽️: @josesepulveda.bsky.social