Following is a letter to the editor I penned for the 2010-12-08 edition of the Savage Pacer. It was in response to news that local residents are trying to stop the development of “workforce” housing (an apartment building for people meeting certain income limits).
Last week’s Pacer article about the proposed Village Commons development near Marketplace angered and saddened me. It’s hard to believe that fellow Savage residents of mine are so callous, selfish, ignorant, and downright hateful. The new apartments slated to be built are not “slum†housing, as characterized by one attendee at a neighborhood meeting; they will be brand-new apartments with rent fully-paid by the residents. They will provide another option for hard-working people and families to live in a good neighborhood with access to good schools and facilities. They’ll give people a chance to build equity and eventually afford a home of their own. They’ll be a safe place for families to raise their children. To the woman who said, “Boo-hoo. I don’t care about them,†I say: Be careful. That could be you some day. All you need to do is check out the weekly foreclosure listings in the Pacer and talk to your unemployed friends to see how fragile your status really is. History has shown time and time again that nations and governments fail when we become divided into “haves†and “have-nots,†into feudal lords and serfs, rich and poor. We succeed as a nation when we work towards increasing the well-being of all. We cannot be an insular community, where we only admit people who can afford half-million dollar houses. Our goal should be to raise everyone’s standard of living.
All major faith traditions have caring for the poor as a central tenet. The utter hypocrisy of casting out the less fortunate during Christmas – given that Savage has a majority of Christians – floors me. I truly hope that people can overcome their fear, that Village Commons is built, and that we become a stronger and more inclusive city.