Upon reading the article posted titled, “Why We Moved to Asheville in the Middle of a Pandemic,” [Aug. 12, Xpress] by Roy Parvin, I feel appalled and embarrassed. So many people in WNC are struggling with housing, and to share in a cavalier manner that these former Californians dropped $500,000-plus on a house in the middle of another Great Depression is blatantly disrespectful to those living in Asheville.
Actual community members in Asheville read your newspaper — it’s not just tourists. Please keep our community in mind when approving articles for publishing. This article was a thoughtless, classist, rude piece of writing.
In the midst of the movement for Black lives, a pandemic where tens of millions of people are out of work, political corruption and turmoil, as well as the looming and increasingly real threat of climate change, we really need to be aware of what we are sharing with the broader public. Parvin’s article is not relevant to most people’s experience living in Asheville at this time.
I’m unsure of the politics — if Roy is a new sponsor of your newspaper or if he was one of the few people who submitted to the COVID Conversations article segment idea. Regardless, please, please be more thoughtful of your article choices.
— Amelia Stamsta
Asheville
Editor’s note: Thank you for your feedback. Mr. Parvin’s piece was a community contribution, and it fit the parameters of the COVID Conversations feature. While we do have a new membership program to raise money to sustain Xpress’ operations — and we appreciate all donations — that program does not offer an inside track to publication. Please see our response to another letter about Mr. Parvin’s essay, “Now That You’re Here, It’s Time to Help Out” in this section for more information about how we approached the publication of this piece.
I have no fear of rich people displacing me financially, because I have never even considered buying a home in north carolina in any location. However, as you say, these strange rich people from california are like cultural pollution. They offend by being lacking character and being involved in cliche crap like yoga. Their money is not as offensive as much as their basic lack of cultural interest, their blandness, their lack of eccentricity, and their basic gringoness.
Ms Stamsta – We bought a home from a retired social worker who was downsizing and using the money from her biggest asset to fund her retirement. We gave her the full asking price. I guess we’re terrible, horrible people for not forcing her to accept a much lower price keeping housing inflation low for the sake of others. Clearly it is outsiders who are demanding the higher prices we’re paying, right? And of course we will now pay a higher amount of property taxes for it to fund programs that I presume you support. I’m new here. Please advise me, which group am I supposed to “stick it, to” when purchasing real estate — older retirees who wish to stay here or people like you?
I assure you people moving here aren’t coming in and telling people we will gladly pay much more than a house is worth or their asking price just because you seem to think we can. Or perhaps you are like the woman who told my 78 year old mother-in-law that it was people like her who were taking jobs away from locals. And the last time I looked at the Constitution, there is freedom of movement in this country so we live here, too. We are not “tourists” we are part of the community, too.
I don’t know the politics of your letter, but perhaps you should consider moving to a more-Trump friendly place that also spits on people who move here from other places because they aren’t good enough people for your standards. Fortunately Trump supporters like you seem to be in the minority and my family has found the people here very welcoming and friendly. But still, shame on us for paying the asking price demanded by the “locals.” Clearly it is the buyers fault the prices are high, right?
Wow, yep, nice summary and hits very close to home. I considered buying an RV to live in and work from but they too are now considered a toy for the wealthy. Only the top few percent can afford choice…some of us take what we can get, gratefully. I am sick to death of the insensitivity of people with plenty of money…good for you all if you can afford the good life but please, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. Egads, how insensitive and tasteless to tell people what you paid for anything anyway. Gauche much??