Editor:
I cannot accept the strategy of city council, with a majority voting against more affordable rental housing.
At less than 1% vacancy rate it is the same as non-existent. The developer (of the White Birch project) operated in line with what he understood councillors to want. He is not building high-priced highrises as we see reaching for the sky in White Rock.
To suggest you would support the building put before council if it were on 16 Avenue – what would his costs be? How much of an investment just for the land? Then we would be looking at a completely different project and cost.
You want to slow development – does that mean all development or (just) affordable housing, so you can keep White Rock to an elite group?
My experience in this is having been a renter for about 50 years and being squeezed out of market after market, with no help from any level of government available.
Just one example, we lived in a half-duplex, where rent ate 72 per cent of our income – heat, lights, TV not included. Add groceries and a small car. We survived. The province has SAFER, a rental assistance plan. We were paying too much to get help, if we could pay less we wouldn’t have needed help.
White Rock residents, remember these members who voted against livable homes for people who cannot afford what council thinks they should be able to.
Jim Crighton, White Rock
