Is this class warfare, and how would you resolve it?

[BigJon3475]

Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest

Whoever owns the property should be able to develop as they see fit so long as within the same zoning and codes as applied to anyone else.
Having said that, the government should not be subsidizing anyone's housing development.

They can. Despite the rhetoric against land owners they're very sensitive to the surrounding communities.

If they want to put in subsidized housing there is nothing that the surrounding NIMBYS can do despite their loud voices.

In most cases the idiots involved in opposition have no clue what developers are actually doing to their community.

[BigJon3475]

Originally Posted by freemkt

Yes, I know a few things about zoning and Comprehensive Plans. In this case, the Portland Development Commission was offering a low-interest loan plus a deferred-interest loan from federal funds, so the development people considered it in conformity with existing plans.

There are many small apartment buildings on otherwise single-family blocks, they seem to coexist just fine, and 10 rowhouses wouldn't ruffle anyone's feathers if it were aimed at middle-income families.

So I'll provide a home to the mayor's finical adviser, the governor's campaign manager and the congress person's assistant.

I'll get what I want because it's what I want. To top it off I'll write it off in one way or another. The end.

[shadowne]

Originally Posted by freemkt

There's a local developer who wants to build 10 "affordable" rowhouses. They are intended to be affordable to families at 60 percent of the area median income.

The neighborhood association and some residents are opposing the proposal.
They say there is already too much low-income housing in the neighborhood, noting that there are four different organizations currently managing or building low-income housing in the neighborhood. (It's a low-income neighborhood with a hint of recent gentrification.)

A neighborhood association leader, in reference to the proposed low-income housing, said:

"If these are so great, why don't we share the wealth? That's the ugly secret nobody wants to talk about."

I have an opinion (which I'll post soon) but what do you think?

Should the developer go find a different neighborhood, give up entirely, or full speed ahead?

Should the supply of "low-income" housing in a neighborhood be capped by government, or should that be up to market forces?

If supply should be capped - if the developer should not be allowed to build it in this neighborhood - should a builder be compensated for increased costs of building in a more expensive neighborhood? Or do we tell the developer he can't built it here and tough luck if he can't afford to build it elsewhere?

Can you offer us a link to this story?