To the editor:
RE: Affordable housing a ploy: Given

It was brought to my attention recently that there was an article regarding the proposed Brant Avenue development. I found the article very disheartening.

I am one of the people on the list for an affordable housing unit at this location. I am a single women aged 45 and have never owned a home.

I was in attendance at the last council meeting where Councilor Brian Given spoke out against the proposed development. I personally found him to be very rude and very harsh towards this project. I was then very annoyed to read these words in this Castanet article where Mr. Given, "calls the affordable housing a "bribe" being brought forward by developers looking for favorable rulings on potential projects". What does that mean? That anyone proposing affordable housing now will cause him to be skeptical that the developer could be trying to "bribe" the city, or as Mr. Given refers to later in this article, "as pulling at the councils heartstrings". I just don't understand how "any" affordable housing could be looked at that way.

The City of Kelowna needs affordable housing badly. It's my opinion that the City, and every councillor including Mr. Given, should be making the needs of the lower income residents of Kelowna a priority now instead of more expensive housing.

Mayor Shepherd said that the City is in favor of affordable housing so let's see council put their words into action and get some of these projects going!

Carol Drake - Kelowna resident for 41 years