I was dismayed that the Clark County Council rejected the housing advisory committee’s recommendation for a zoning change that would allow construction of low-income housing (“Clark County Council balances job creation with affordable housing in land-use decisions,” The Columbian, March 21). This is despite a shortage of affordable housing, and the fact that only a little more than 4 acres would be affected. County planners approved the change and noted that “the subject parcels are not as well-suited to commercial development” as other sites. The change would have made the property more like that of the surrounding land.
The area has many small businesses and services within a short distance from this property, including a 7-Eleven store, a strip mall containing a bar, a small gym, and a day care center, and many other small entities. Citing the need to save the land for “job creation” is puzzling, since a piece of land nearby recently became home to yet another set of storage units, which provide less than a handful of jobs.
The lack of affordable housing is a major problem, considering the number of unhoused residents in Clark County. Many groups have been working to help solve this problem. To be rebuffed with dubious reasoning is an insult to all involved. It is my hope that this decision will be reconsidered soon.
