To the editor:

In case you missed last week’s letters to the editor, it was a full-frontal assault to condemn the actions of the city council to move forward with the Suzuki affordable housing community.

I have worked with many others over the last 15 years to begin to fulfill our commitment to helping those who serve us (teachers, firefighters, waitstaff). Not everyone makes enough money to live in such a beautiful and expensive place.

The argument posed in those letters is that this new project doesn’t meet the Comprehensive Plan. I hear that all the time. The Comp Plan is a multi-pronged tool and isn’t solely focused on one issue over another.

Why is it always housing versus the environment? They reinforce each other in many ways. Ever notice all the cars driving on to the island each day? Have you noticed the growing number of homeless here? Access to affordable housing is essential to keeping the community alive, allowing the possibility for those who work here to live.

If being an advocate for affordable housing makes me into a special interest, I will wear that label proudly.

As you think about your voting choices this fall, be sure to consider how each candidate will balance all aspects of the Comprehensive Plan, including both affordable housing and the environment. You might be surprised what you hear.

CHARLIE WENZLAU

Bainbridge Island