The Stranger's Anna Minard has an excellent story about a coalition of developers who have filed a suit against the city over a 2006 agreement to make some units of housing moderately affordable in exchange for easing height restrictions downtown. This modest, commonsense agreement is called "extortion" by the coalition. Translation: "We, the rich, must be allowed to get richer at any cost, including the well being of the city and its inhabitants. Residents without the means to support our growing richer are not welcome here." This is a classic case of developers trying to dictate what kind of city we are. City Council member (and friend to the Lockhaven Tenants Union) Mike O'Brien has spoken out against this suit, calling it "maddening."
These developers have remained anonymous, so we don't know if Lockhaven owner John Goodman is a party to it. We will ask Goodman Real Estate for this information and let you know if we find out anything. In the meantime, drop Mike O'Brien a note to thank him for his great work on behalf of affordable housing.
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