Some other affordable housing locations
I congratulate city council on their decision regarding the sale of the former police station property. As a Brandon resident maybe the mayor should look at some of the other locations for affordable housing such as the 2100-block of Brandon Avenue; the corner of 15th Street and Louise Avenue; 700-block of Frederick Street, the north end or the 600-block on Princess Avenue, with a value of $1. Also the president of the local NDP constituency association should be approaching the provincial government if the housing allowance for social assistance individuals is not sufficient. The city should not be responsible for providing this sort of allowance for affordable housing.
Vote ‘yes’ for Bill 7
Of course all the residential contractors are going to complain, about Bill 7 — you can’t make $200,000 on a $150,000 to $200,000 house and of course Coun. Jim McCrae isn’t NDP, so he is definitely against anything good or bad they come up with. Well I’m not NDP either, but, I can see a good thing when it comes along. How many contractors are going to leave town because they’ll only be able to build half as many “big money makers?” After all, the bigger they are, the bigger deals they get from our city council (cheaper land, build what and where they want). If some do leave, that will give friendly newer and smaller companies a chance.
I cannot stay silent any longer
Almost daily I listen or read something about “affordable housing.” Most people have their own interpretation of what “affordable” is. If people choose to spend their earnings, for example, on an extra vehicle for the household, pets, smokes, eating out, etc., and try to pay rent or buy groceries with what is left, then, of course their wish is to have lower rent. Not everyone is cut out to be a homeowner either. Some do not have the desire to look after a house and property. Their houses are shelter and pride of ownership is not always present, which is all too evident when their vehicles are parked on the grass, repairs are not kept up, weeds not pulled — I could go on. To put these people into houses is doing them a disservice.
Opening Pandora’s box
To approve Bill 7 is opening Pandora’s box. If developers must provide affordable housing, then pharmacies must provide affordable medicine, grocers must provide affordable food, accountants must provide affordable professional services, the Wheat Kings must provide … and so on and so on.
Time to get your priorities straight
I, too, am dismayed that yet another precious room at BRHC has been taken over for a desk and chair. Priorities are mixed up when maybe we could use more interim care beds for patients awaiting nursing home placement. Compared to 25 or 30 years ago when there was 67 beds per floor in the Assiniboine Centre, you’d almost think the office chairs outnumber the patient count.
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition December 24, 2012
Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.