Is the Broomfield City Council acting more like an overbearing homeowners association?

More on that in a moment on the Face The State Radio Minute.

Peeling paint, deteriorating roofs, and damaged siding are signs a homeowner isn’t taking care of his castle. But at what point is it OK for the city to step in and force you to make repairs?

That’s the question in Broomfield, where the City Council is considering an ordinance that would expand the grounds on which homeowners may be cited for fostering a “nuisance property.”

As I’m fond of saying, public policy is all about balancing competing interests. But it’s also about civil liberties, including property rights. At its most basic level, Broomfield’s enforcers would have expanded power to assess penalties, and courts could even place a lien on offending properties.

City Council member Bette Erickson is well aware of the fine line. She told the Broomfield Enterprise, "My HOA is an overbearing helicopter…I didn't want to create a city that way." No kidding.

For FaceTheState.com, I’m Brad Jones.