MIDTOWN: It's a solid plan

As a midtown homeowner of 16 years now, I am supporting the proposed development and here’s why: The rentals fill a need for workforce housing we have in the downtown area. The people who will live there will have expendable income as they must make a minimum amount of money and a maximum with the rent not to be above 30 percent of their income. These new neighbors could be waiters, dental hygienists, legal assistants, part-time school teachers, mechanics, accountants, etc. These new midtown residents and the added small businesses will naturally create activity financially with people moving about and doing their daily things. This is what is needed for the midtown to grow in appeal and value … people and money circulating in a core area.

The alternatives are to do nothing and wait a few more decades for it to maybe grow on its own (which hasn’t done so well as of yet … it only started to pick up once LCDC upgraded the street appeal and slowed traffic) or for LCDC to abandon midtown, put the land back on the market and the possible new owner(s) build whatever they want. Maybe we’ll get a fast food drive through? Maybe a storage facility? Or more likely, a true low income, section 8 rental, with no neighborhood involvement on the plans. (Idaho Housing Company isn’t the only company able to get those dollars.)

No, I like this plan, and look forward to my new neighbors and increased property value thanks to LCDC.

ADAM GRAVES

Coeur d’Alene