I am writing in response to the guest opinion piece by Port Townsend’s new Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin in The Leader on Nov. 16.

I attended the Nov. 7 council meeting to which Ms. Bolin refers in her article. As an observer, in my recollection, no one in attendance “launched hostilities toward their perceived adversaries to avoid change or argued against density unless it is permanently affordable for workforce home buyers,” as Ms. Bolin stated in her article. 

In my opinion, this is an inaccurate representation of what occurred that evening.

What I witnessed was healthy democracy in action. What I heard were community comments in SUPPORT of increasing density in ways that include a clear commitment by the city to find policies, strategies, and incentives that ensure sufficient housing for local working people — people like teachers, nurses, folks in the marine trades, and people who work in the nonprofit and government sectors. Nowhere in the planning roadmap the city presented that night was such a commitment articulated.

We are buoyed by the city’s intent to hire a long-range planner and by other important steps the city is taking to increase housing, generally. However, without a specific commitment to people working in the local economy who are currently being displaced, these are all steps that could lead to more market-rate housing that is too expensive for local working families. 

In short, at that city council meeting the community engagement and the requests for a clear and bold commitment to workforce housing were entirely appropriate. The fact that any city representative would see that as a problem is unfortunate.

Siobhan Canty
President and CEO
Jefferson Community Foundation