Evansville Water: The Movie: Part 1

Audio/Video Evansville Schools Meetings

Seek the High Ground

The Book of Minutes

Search This Blog

Wisconsin Wit

Friday, August 10, 2007

Mailbag: Mason writes: Re: Accessible Housing ordinance

(Ed. note: This was a comment that I have brought forward for better visibility.)


m. braunschweig has left a new comment on your post "Plan: 8-6-2007--the vote":

I am sorry I was not there. I believed in this ordinance and would have fought to get it passed and moved up to council. Out of all 3 ordinances that came out of the TND/Residential design sub-commitee this was the one that took the least amount of time to complete and that was with at least 1 local builder in attendance.

I firmly believe that there are many areas in the quasi-public/private realm that are overly legislated in which the market forces can naturally work out the issues. I do not believe that this frame of mind should ever be considered when discussing an integral societal need involving the most vulnerable of minority groups. As was said many times before the whole point of democracy is for an open majority ruling with special attention paid to protection of minority classes who would not be able to do themselves. That was the case here. Frankly one of the reasons the builders in this town do not have many of these situations to do deal with is because anyone in that situation would not look to this market for their needs.

Furthermore not every individual with special needs based upon a physical disability can just up and decidde to build a house to spec on a whim. Many people with special needs are on fixed budgets. Therefore they need already established homes that are not as costly as new construction or are able to be rented.

I am saddened by this vote. I am saddened that the market's natural ability to cater to this partiucular market was the reason for this because I do not believe that is the case. I am shocked that Jim Brooks took the point of view he did given what he and his neighbor's are dealing with on the westside.

Mason Braunschweig
1st District Alderperson
City Council President

No comments:

Post a Comment