Letters to the Editor: March 21 – 27, 2019
F.C. Should Prioritize Affordable Housing
Editor,
In 25 happy years in Falls Church I have only written the City on a very few occasions. I am moved to write this time by the editorial, “Add Housing to the City Budget.” From my work as a researcher and observations as a citizen, I think there is a genuine housing crisis throughout this country. At a time when our City is booming and property values are going up, we should be careful to keep as much affordable housing as possible in the City.
Without housing, we cannot seriously address the huge inequality and opportunity gap we have created in our country. This is unquestionably a challenge that goes far beyond our City, but we are blessed by a very functional City government, a much stronger tax base than we’ve had in the past, and informed, committed citizens who should support this.
I hope the City will prioritize affordable housing in the budget and in other City activities.
Peter Fox-Penner
Falls Church
F.C. Developed At Expense of Quality of Life
Editor,
The letter last week from Mr. Hayes [concerning the disruption on Broad St.] is very accurate as we avoid the area because of the constant state of traffic frustration. The ridiculous lack of parking coupled with a failure to prevent delivery truck unloading on Broad St. in a travel lane is ludicrous.
However the problem is the City of Falls Church. This work was planned, and like other projects I have seen springing up in the congested city I see nothing being done to proactively provide traffic mitigation. The City has consistently failed to get involved with traffic control or require more effective measures from the developers.
The priorities appear to be all about over development at the expense of quality of life. One cannot help but feel that the City has abandoned the residents in favor of the mad rush to more and more revenue at any cost.
S. H. King
Falls Church
Letters to the Editor may be submitted to letters@fcnp.com or via our online form here. Letters should be limited to 350 words and may be edited for content, clarity and length. To view the FCNP’s letter and submission policy, please click here.
