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Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.
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Help the Houseless

RECEIVED Wed., March 22, 2023

Dear Editor,
    My experience after eviction makes me realize housing corporations are concerned with only profit.
    Months before my eviction in Travis County I sent a letter to the apartment management company and the current manager of the apartment complex. I was asking for changing a two bedroom to a less expensive one bedroom and possible going according to income as some apartments were designated for this. I did not receive a response to my letter. A few weeks prior to the eviction court date I asked my manager again. She said, “There is nothing here for YOU!” I then tried the county's assistance office for help locating housing. I was told, “No one in Travis County is willing to help YOU!” I thought that was an odd way of saying nothing was available.
    So, sleeping in my car until I managed to find cheap weekly motel. I tried driving Lyft all night long but I did not do well, falling asleep at Traffic lights. I was not able to find an apartment after an eviction.
    Why is it that apartment complexes are permitted to refuse evicted folks for SEVEN years, how long it takes to drop off the one's housing record! Do you think maybe this adds to the number of homeless here in Travis County? All these big new expensive apartment buildings, I am sure with many vacant apartments, how about sharing some with low income folks? Any small percentage may help.
    One more problem I encountered currently working as an independent contractor (driving Lyft or Door Dash) is the apartment complexes do not demand we have 3x the amount of monthly rent but 10x the amount of monthly rent. Does that seem fair being in the poorly paid service jobs? (I still do not know why an agency told me my nursing license had a note on it. I went to the Nursing Board in Austin and a “gate keeper” prevented me from going in to talk to nurses.)
    So, I will join the fight here for low-income housing. I tried all the shelters, which had waiting lists and read that the Sally is closing, why? I went tot he Waterloo Terrace to sign up for the waiting list and called in a few days to another, told he could not find my name.
    I still love Austin. Even though it has morphed from a big town feel to a small city greed-oriented business location. I loved the diversity of Austin, the various cultural areas of it. I hate seeing the cute old houses being replaced with the big black & white monstrosities spoiling the local atmosphere of a neighborhood. Why?
    Besides tax breaks for these rich corporations how about assisting folks who have lived many years, loving Austin, help remain in their neighborhoods?
Sincerely,
Irene A. Muzet BSN, RN, CPN, 71 years young

Daily Paper Peril

RECEIVED Tue., March 21, 2023

Dear Editor,
    “What Happens When Austin’s Daily Paper Dies” [News, March 10] This was a headline that I was hoping I wouldn’t see. But I knew it was just a matter of time before The Austin Chronicle and everyone who relies on good news reporting would acknowledge that we don’t have a reliable daily newspaper in Austin anymore. I’m surprised that there hasn’t been more public comment about the disintegration of the Austin American-Statesman, once a well respected publication in the state capital.
    I’ve watched and read about the many experienced staff who left after the paper was purchased by Gannett and were not replaced. This has affected the detailed coverage of local and state news. Now, I scan the online edition for bits of news and go on to get my more in-depth Austin news from other sources, mainly The Austin Chronicle and the DMN (Dallas Morning News).
    There are good journalism students graduating from the University of Texas every year. Give them a chance to make some significant contributions to the Austin paper and bring back a daily paper that we can rely on for insightful and significant reporting.
Mary Lou Gibson
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