Criticism of townhome developments was 'inflammatory,' 'derogatory'
Editor:
As a resident of Columbia County and the owner of a town house located there I resent the implication by your newspaper that we are "the blighted future of the community" (editorial, April 13, "Slam the door on more townhome parks").
Our development is overseen by an association of homeowners who take pride in their homes and their surroundings. We adhere to strict rules of conduct regarding the aesthetics of the community, and to be referred to in this fashion is insulting and demeaning.
The tone of this article is such that many people reading it will believe that there is shame in living here. This is not the case. These homes are beautiful inside and out and are maintained by their owners. Most owners are older who have decided to downsize, as has the rest of the country, and are quite well off but do not want to be burdened with high utility bills, high taxes and more room than we need. At the same time, some of our residents are young married couples with children who will attend the schools that are supported by our tax dollars.
Since these homes have two bedrooms, many of the young couples with children will not be living here as their families grow.
You must consider too, that most of our residents being elderly have been paying school taxes long after our own children have grown and moved away. So while we are taking up space in Columbia County that could be used for single-home developments with more children per household, we are paying school taxes without crowding the schools. So why are we being blamed for the overcrowding of the school system?
I fear that this article is inflammatory and will have a devaluing effect on our homes. The homes themselves have increased in value over the last several years, but with the editorial we will soon see property values decreasing.
The writer of this article should be reprimanded for his use of such derogatory terms in describing these developments. I realize this is the opinion of the writer, but he should have been taught at an early age that some opinions are best kept to oneself.
Kathleen Leggett
Evans