The Tribune‘s March 21 editorial, “SLO County is killing its affordable housing fee. Here’s why that’s a win for the wealthy,” is relevant for all parties if they show true concern for those who have less.
While some may feel that the matter of affordable housing favors one party, I do not see that as the case. I say to each member of the SLO County Board of Supervisors, “let reason prevail.” I’m sure that each supervisor has a nice, comfortable home to return to each day, but not all citizens do. I ask that each supervisor put themselves in the shoes of the have-nots or have-littles, and ask whether they would support the fastest route to affordable housing. All too often we hear those in elected office recommend scrapping a needed social service program without proposing an expeditious and workable alternative. That appears to be the case regarding the affordable housing ordinance in SLO County, which the supervisors plan to repeal without implementing any alternative plan for producing affordable housing units.
The Home Builders Association claims the ordinance challenges their industry (“SLO County supervisors to abolish inclusionary housing program,” March 17). The greater challenge is to those that cannot afford housing.
Harvey Levenson
Pismo Beach
This article appears in Mar 24-31, 2022.
Curious, Harvey, as to how long you have lived in Pismo? Should you have moved here in the last 30 years and purchased a much higher than average priced home, you are what we locals call, “the problem”.
Making one group of home buyers subsidize another is hardly fair, and does nothing to provide housing for everyone who would like to live here. It just make it even more expensive for the unlucky group, while benefitting just a lucky few. There will always be far more demand for housing than the area can accommodate, and many will have to find housing elsewhere. There is no right to live in your first choice of location, and most of us have often accepted locations which were our second or third choices.