Letter: Still pushing for housing for homeless vets

Posted on by Letters
Graphic by Lori Deaton

I went by the mayor’s office in Asheville [recently] to make sure she had read my most recent letter in the Asheville Citizen-Times thanking the city for going ahead with a plan to build a large amount of low-income and affordable housing in different locations in the city, including the new River Arts District development.

Of course, I only got to talk to an assistant, but I did get to pass on my thoughts about this and lobby again for homeless vets getting some of the spaces, especially in the RAD, which could be a large amount of housing.

On the way in, I spoke about this to the security guards and the elevator operator (Asheville City Hall still has an old-school elevator, and someone has a full-time job operating it, which I think is cool) and told them what I told the mayor’s assistant, and they all said they would let her know they thought my letter and idea about putting homeless vets with low-income artists in the RAD project was a good thing.

I may be crazy, but I am good crazy and like a pit bull once I am promoting an idea to help the poor. I don’t stop pushing, and I write letters, which get published in the local papers, which gives me some credibility.

— John Penley
Asheville

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8 thoughts on “Letter: Still pushing for housing for homeless vets”

  1. Enlightened Enigma

    John, they are building 88 units of new homeless veterans housing over by the VA hospital … new sustainable CLT construction…’cross laminated timber’ technology.

  2. Roberto

    It seems absurd to think that with the D.O.D. budget (582.7 billion in 2017), that there doesn’t seem to be enough to assist our veterans with housing and timely healthcare.

    I guess they are considered “disposable” now.

    • Lulz

      LOL it seems absurd that the county has to peddle 75 million in debt after record tax revenues. I guess financing illegals and Wanda Green’s lifestyle means that there’s little left over.

      • Enlightened Enigma

        lulz, such is routine for all the elected criminals we have running city and county.

        some of them need to be called out, but then the ignorant public has no clue about all the corruption anymore, and don’t care.

        • luther blissett

          If only there were things called “elections” with low filing fees.

          But since you don’t believe in government, elections or the electorate, please tell us what you’re doing to house homeless veterans.

          • Lulz

            LOL so you’re saying that you have such low expectations of the current crop of democrats that graft, corruption, and criminal behavior is the norm with them lulz?

          • luther blissett

            LOL lulz etc.

            I’m saying that you clearly despise both those elected to govern and the people who vote for them, yet choose not to run for election or even advocate the kind of program you’d want to see from those elected. You’re not going to wake up to the “dictatorship of the permanently cranky” that you so desperately desire. Deal with it.

  3. Enlightened Enigma

    Well I was going to build homeless vet housing in west avl but somebody beat me to it! Now it will be for retired hippies who can afford rent … 20 new apts – stacked tiny homes – 350-600 sq feet each.

    Hey , email Brownie Newman at the buncombe county commission and David Gantt at DavidGantt.com and ask them why they are avoiding any claims of responsiblity … they are in hiding
    and Brownie should RESIGN his post today! Elected CRIMINALS.

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