Bernard Carman, who lives in an old eight-bedroom Victorian [in Montford], opened his empty rooms to the people who work, play and create in this city renowned for its vibrant musical, literary and performing-arts scenes [”Sustainable for Whom,” Nov. 17 Xpress]. He has helped his local community grow for 22 years simply by trying to prevent wasteful habits. Isn’t localism about devotion to local interests and customs? Isn’t Asheville celebrating its people and green living all the time? What does this local ideology of green-friendly really mean when we allow our city and state to selectively discriminate against Bernard, the man who opened his house to his community to prevent wasteful living?
It would be interesting to see how many people in the Asheville area live or have lived in some kind of communal living. Maybe looking in the room-shared tab on Craigslist or on the community board in Greenlife Grocery would be a good indicator of this lifestyle. If what Bernard has done is really an issue, I request that all houses listed in Craigslist shared living be investigated. However, doing this may also kill what our city is renowned for while creating a homeless epidemic. The people in Asheville need to stand up for what Bernard and others are doing for their community, or feel the ramifications of being wasteful.
Everyone pays the price by having a lower standard of living when we take a positive out of society.
— Aaron Watkins
Asheville
Totally agree. Communal living plays a large part in what defines asheville’s unique energy. Not to mention people wouldn’t be able to enjoy the local business regularly like we all do now if we were regulated by the govt. To live in $600 and up apartments. Locals would have to move to fast food, local businesses would fade away and all we would have left is tourists who think the biltmore is the only reason to come here (which it would be by then).
Very interesting and enlightening!
Can anyone provide numbers on this fellow’s mortgage and rent that he draws from his tenants. I would think that six persons(including Mr. Carman) could afford to make payments on this property. It seems that he may be providing a good service for the community, but I’m sure that he has benefitted from the symbiotic relationship by having a home. Maybe he provides a refuge for the homeless that I missed, but I think that he will be alright.