It’s a tale as old as time. An opportunity presents itself just on the other side of a door, and as any reasonable person would do, some people walk through it. Then, of course, they promptly shut and lock the door behind them, thus preventing others from taking that same path and the same opportunity.
Access to housing in certain places can be surprisingly similar. A gated community is one thing, but wanting to keep certain people out of an entire town is something else entirely.
Which brings us to Edmond, Oklahoma, and the problems it faces after a housing study recently advised that 8,900 units of all types will be needed within the next 10 years to keep up with demand. The question the city will need to answer is whether people want to build any sort of “affordable” housing for the younger part of Edmond’s workforce, who at present are effectively priced out of home ownership and challenged even to find rental properties. Put another way, there is no room at the Edmond inn for people without significant financial means.
Given some of the comments by residents at a recent Edmond City Council meeting, at least a few people would prefer to keep things this way. Apartments would be part of a solution, but given that a complex has not been built in more than a decade, the subject seems to be unpalatable among some current residents. And even if an apartment project advances past the Edmond Planning Commission and City Council, the city’s referendum petition process allows a pretty low threshold for citizens to challenge any development proposal and put it to a public vote.
So what will it be? The city government’s opinion on this matter could play a large role in steering the direction of development over the next several years, but it’s really up to the community to decide. Is Edmond a “great place to grow” or a ” great place for the grown?”
Past Sundaze comics
Behold, OU students: Lindsey Street tailgating returns
PAC 12 implosion continues conference realignment
The Earth must be quite a pothole for UFOs
American Heartland Theme Park raises some eyebrows
Sick of Stitt hammering the machine, Drummond seeks a spin
Introducing a Razr-thin margin of plausible deniability
Bright future: OKC Thunder rookies ready to get to work
Blockbuster: Oklahoma weather presents DVD-size hail
Uncommon ground in Edmond: No art of compromise?
Stitt knows how to get, how to get to Override Street
Former Justice Steven Taylor broke open a tie ballgame
Welcome to the whirlwind of graduation season
All aboard? Coordinating an Edmond, Norman, OKC commuter rail vote
Dunkin’ on each other for ‘Donuts with the Governor’
Oklahoma’s turnpike expansion plan faces road blocks
Easter Sundaze: Trying to save a dime in the egg aisle
Preserving Hafer Park memories: Welcome to paradise
Oklahoma’s Broadband Office and the mystery of missing meeting minutes
March Madness 2023: So your bracket is in shambles
Will the Oklahoma House lock in Daylight Saving Time?
SQ 820: We’ve got another election on our hands
Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol
Valentine voting: For the love of democracy
Last week on This Old Attorney General’s Office
Budget hearing previews the last ride of Mark McBride
Plenty of cooks in the Oklahoma education kitchen
Here’s looking at you, me: The two jobs of Ryan Walters
Compared to recent years, 2022 seemed tolerable
‘This is a BFD’: The romance of nuclear fusion heats up
Weird local rules mean extra Edmond elections
2022 World Cup draws cause cultural comparisons
Straight party voting throws quite a rager in Oklahoma
An ‘I voted’ sticker is the prize for enduring all these ads
Halloween can be a tough time to mind your diet
Answer the question? The art of political dodgeball
How hideous can the Ugly Season get before it’s over?
Down goes Dumpty: OKC Egg Church has a great fall
Many options for brand synergy in the OKC film industry
This season includes new adventures in OU tailgating
