To the editor: Arlington’s 26 square miles with 240,000 people continues to be the tale of two counties, split by income levels.
While many of these families have lived here for decades, the number that have been displaced in recent years continues to grow. Our community needs to strengthen its resolve to help struggling families and seniors to stay in place.
And while not everyone can afford to live here, I argue that as a top 10 most wealthy (and mostly generous) county in America, we must do more to prevent displacement and hold harmless those who yearn to stay, even as market forces continue to intensify.
According to data assembled by the Arlington Community Foundation, based on the county government’s 2020 Housing Needs Analysis, between 2012 and 2018 nearly 1,000 households living on less than 30 percent of area median income left Arlington. We can assume that they were squeezed out of their homes, and we know for sure that about 75 percent of the lost households were families of four plus people, with seniors who could no longer afford to live here.
When new numbers are released in the next housing study, there is no reason to anticipate a reversal of this troubling trend.
With this in mind, we have had NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yard) and YIMBYs (Yes in my Back Yard). And now, I propose SIMBYs (Stay in My Back Yard), because families want to stay where they are and not be disrespected and displaced.
SIMBYs need additional financial support and the goodwill of our community to continue living where they have been for many years. It is our privilege to extend our hands and hearts so families can enjoy living here just like we all do. We must focus and take bold action.
Mark Riley, Arlington
