Some Thoughts About Those Contrived “Best Of” Lists

The Coloradoan: Fort Collins named one of 2023's Top 100 U.S. cities

Most people that live in Fort Collins would agree that it is a great place to live. In fact, the people associated with PFC are working every day to maintain the quality of life we enjoy in our home town. But there is something else that needs to be said about these ‘best of’ lists.

Several local organizations have a financial interest in Fort Collins appearing on these lists. Private and local public money is spent on lobbying to be ranked as highly as possible. The national exposure helps attract (generally wealthy) people who have the ability to move across the country in search of the ‘best place to live.’ This raises the price of housing, for sale or rent, and is good RIGHT NOW for the people that profit from property development.

It is not good for people on fixed incomes, low wage workers or anyone local who wishes to buy or rent housing.

And over time, rampant development and haphazard densification are undermining the quality of life for everybody.