Does this council have the guts to do it?
Dear Editor:
The problem Penticton has with developers is that they are more about making money than providing affordable housing and serving the real needs of the community.
Take for example the new housing development proposed for the Naramata Bench. This project was proposed by the developers of Sendero Canyon. How many people in Penticton can afford to live in Sendero Canyon? It was built for the professional and well-to-do and/or middle class.
Now this developer wants to further his profits by building a luxury 320 home development in an interface area near the landfill.
Huge profits are made by building luxury developments; they are not made by building downsized properties that ordinary people can afford. It is not the responsibility of developers to build for the best interests of the community.
It is the responsibility of city council to ensure that developers build in the best interests of its citizens: other than social housing that need has not been met. This council has the opportunity to be a groundbreaker in that area.
But do they have the guts to do it? They should; they have had an easy ride this term. Sometime someone has to make a stand.
This is one of the few large tracts of land left in which to build suitable housing that suits the average income of the average Pentictonite.
There is one other the El Rancho site. Council is tied on saving this for a hotel. Whether the convention business will ever return to former levels is unknown. However. it is an ideal property to supplement the convention centre, which could be in the best interests of the community in the future.
Penticton needs co-op housing: Housing to fill the needs of the average working family in Penticton. Council needs to put the brakes on luxury homes and serve the needs of the community as a whole.
Council has focused on social housing. It is now time to focus on serving the needs of the lower income Pentictonite rather than the needs of the well-to-do.
There is a petition on the City website if you are against the luxury development planned on Naramata Bench. It can be found at: www.change.org/p/city-of-penticton-listen-to-the-residents-of-penticton-andrespect-the-vision-and-ocp?redirect=false Elvena Slump
Penticton