Recent legislation in Colorado increasing tenant rights has many people quite upset (and understandably so, in many ways). The second and third order effects of making it more difficult to evict non paying tenants will include less interest in investing in the housing market here. It’s also putting many small landlords in difficult positions, with some having to sell their propert(ies) vs. continuing the risk of renting. Proponents of the legislation may think this will increase owner occupant ownership but it’s as if not more likely it will have the effect of consolidating ownership into the hands of the big companies even faster. On the other side, there are many stories of tenants being taken advantage of landlords who won’t make repairs, who put or keep tenants in bad situations. It’s also very difficult for tenants to find advocates who will or can engage on their behalf. Good representation costs money many people do not have.

Further discussion of this problem is beyond the scope of the intent of this article. Rather, I submit that affordable housing is what is called a ‘wicked’ problem and may not actually have an answer. The push pull or pendulum effect of policy — action — consequences may be the best we can hope for.

This isn’t defeatism. Rather, it’s recognition of the nature of the problem.

Introduced by C. West Churchman and/or Horst Rittel in 1967, the term ‘wicked problem’ indicates a complex problem that is difficult or impossible to solve due to incomplete or contradictory requirements, the need to balance multiple competing factors, and the interconnected nature of the problem to other problems. Some key characteristics of wicked problems include:

– There is no definitive formulation of the problem — different stakeholders have different views on what the problem is and what the solution should be.

– Wicked problems have no stopping rule or definitive solution — there are always new angles and aspects to consider, so you can’t know when you’ve fully “solved” it.

– Every wicked problem is a symptom of another problem — wicked problems are interconnected to other problems in a complex system. Solving one problem may reveal or create other problems.

– There are no objective criteria for determining the “correct” solution — there are many potential solutions, each with trade-offs and uncertainties. There is no objectively “right” answer.

– Wicked problems involve changing requirements and constraints — as new knowledge is gained trying to solve them, new dimensions and complexities emerge over time.

– They are socially complex — wicked problems have many diverse stakeholders with conflicting values and priorities. This makes consensus difficult.

– Attempts to address wicked problems often lead to unforeseen consequences — interventions can have rippling effects due to the complex interdependencies involved.

In addition to housing, some examples of wicked problems include poverty, climate change, healthcare, terrorism, and social injustice.

With that, we come to the intent of my words here:

Tackling wicked problems isn’t a straight-line equation; it demands a blend of creative ingenuity, collective brainstorming, and agile adaptability.

We have to recognize the nature of the problem before we can begin to address it.