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Mr. Howe, This comment is in response to your comment on the very good report of the joint housing and zoning subcommittees regarding zoning changes to single family neighborhoods to permit homeowner ADU development. I have protested these actions because ADU development will do nothing to alleviate Lowell's serious affordable housing crisis. The development of ADUs is predicated on homeowner willingness to build such a unit and to charge the fair market rent or under and then to serve as landlord and rent to Lowell citizens who are rent-burdened. Another issue is that supposing these changes were made, the rate at which ADUs woulld be planned, permitted, built, and ready for renting will not in any way be able to meet the extent of the need for affordable housing in Lowell. Do we continue to ignore the fact that 20% of Lowell's population lives in poverty? That this population is rent-burdened... meaning trade offs must be made between paying an electric bill, buying enough food for the family, seeing a dentist or a doctor when the need arises....because the rent must be paid. These people are on the road to becoming homeless as well. Do we continue to do nothing about creating the means to develop affordable housing? I have continued to do research on this topic for over a year and half now using a wide variety of sources. In no city has ADU development led to an increase in affordable housing (cities in California and Oregon are some of the early adopters) for rent-burdened residents for the very poor, poor, students, and even for the middle class. ADUs cannot accomodate families. Instead of hammering time and again on ADUs as the way to increase affordable housing, city council members must collaborate with the appropriate state and federal agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations concerned with housing and the homeless to develop an overall strategy comprising multiple tactics, approaches, and efforts. It requires a serious focus. It will be difficult work over a long period of time, but it must be done. There are tactics and approaches being tried in other states and cities. Our city council members, city manager, and city planners and professionals in City Hall must roll up their sleeves to do the hard work....they are treating ADUs as a silver bullet. It is a fig leaf to hide behind. Or if you will, one small tactic to include in a much larger, comprehensive strategy to address the very serious lack of affordable housing and the growing population of Lowell's homeless. The City Council should be held accountable for ignoring the huge dimensions of this issue. You also ask why city neighborhood organizations haven't been listening to the now four in total joint meetings of the housing and zoning subcommittees. People are listening. But voices are not listened to. One gets a total of 3 minutes to speak Council members have resorted to taking up the majority of time with their own questions as a means to drastically reduce the time for public comment. There is no room for discussion or debate. I live in a SFN in Pawtucketville, but my concern is with social justice. My concern is with the narrow vision of the city councilors and the city manager. My concern is the fact that city councilors ignore the very large large population in Lowell who desparately need more affordable, and decent housing. I'm happy to share my research. Sincerely, Patricia Vondal

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Thanks for keeping us up to date!

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