At the Jan. 31 Sussex County Council meeting, there was much debate and discussion on the topic of the new Sussex County Rental Program. In the council’s attempt to streamline the program, one of the key elements eliminated is insight and transparency into the planned projects.
Council clearly does not want to hear or respect the public’s input. Their anger and animosity were clear. Why? Isn’t listening to their constituents part of the position they were elected to by those same constituents? Council seems to have taken liberties with the requirements for construction in Sussex County.
While a structure may be labeled affordable housing, it is still a structure that should adhere to the same building requirements. The two key elements that define affordable housing are, firstly, the amenities that are missing from the finished product as compared to other units in the development, and, secondly, the pricing structure is different for designated affordable units. A structure is a structure is a structure. They will require the same access to an already overburdened infrastructure.
Why do council members believe that they can streamline the process applied to all other structures, including public visibility? Do council members believe their approach will markedly increase the number of available affordable units? Given the rate of unaffordable projects being approved, it is unlikely council’s approach will make a dent in the needed housing.
The unabated approval of projects for homes that the average individual cannot afford is only exacerbating the problem. While council may be able to put a feather in its hat saying, “Look what we did,” the process is not a solution to a larger problem.
I suggest council step back and take the time to develop a strategy that has metrics that balance the types of needed structures as well as the impact on infrastructure. Businesses adopt this approach all the time. Surely, council can adopt a proven approach that looks to the future with a set of goals and associated metrics that provide a path to success.
Why the rush to build and at the same time ignore or eliminate public input?
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
