Parish
FANning the Flames
RECEIVED Tue., Dec. 13, 2016
Dear Editor,
I read with interest Nick Barbaro’s comments about FAN’s alignment with conservative GOP council members, his response to the subsequent outcry of FAN advocates, and their online response to his response, including their vilification of progressive City Council members ["Public Notice: Angry Hornets," News, Dec. 9]:
“Austin's progressives will continue to experience cognitive dissonance until they start to realize that one can't be progressive everywhere but their own back yard. … Every right is also an obligation. If we believe that everyone has a right to affordable housing in decent neighborhoods, then it is our obligation to make this happen, and obligation is always an inconvenience.”
Perhaps FAN advocates need to look closer to home?
Pete Gilcrease, a founder and board member of FAN and advocate of more and affordable housing, owns three multi-unit structures in Hyde Park: a house plus triplex on Duval, a triplex plus garage apartment on Avenue F, and a duplex on East 48th Street. He lives in one unit and rents the others as STRs. When questioned about the STR issue on Nextdoor, he protested that renting units as STRs was the only way he could preserve the property. That justification might work fine for one property, but when someone continues to buy multi-unit properties and rent the units as STRs, it’s obvious he isn’t doing it to preserve the properties.
After the ADU vote, CM Casar said, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have just eight more ADUs in 78751!” He could have had them overnight if Mr. Gilcrease had converted his own properties to long-term rentals. After all, if we believe that everyone has a right to affordable housing in decent neighborhoods, then it is our obligation to make this happen, and obligation is always an inconvenience.
Perhaps the FANies should clean up their own act before attacking others for shortcomings that they themselves exhibit.
I read with interest Nick Barbaro’s comments about FAN’s alignment with conservative GOP council members, his response to the subsequent outcry of FAN advocates, and their online response to his response, including their vilification of progressive City Council members ["Public Notice: Angry Hornets," News, Dec. 9]:
“Austin's progressives will continue to experience cognitive dissonance until they start to realize that one can't be progressive everywhere but their own back yard. … Every right is also an obligation. If we believe that everyone has a right to affordable housing in decent neighborhoods, then it is our obligation to make this happen, and obligation is always an inconvenience.”
Perhaps FAN advocates need to look closer to home?
Pete Gilcrease, a founder and board member of FAN and advocate of more and affordable housing, owns three multi-unit structures in Hyde Park: a house plus triplex on Duval, a triplex plus garage apartment on Avenue F, and a duplex on East 48th Street. He lives in one unit and rents the others as STRs. When questioned about the STR issue on Nextdoor, he protested that renting units as STRs was the only way he could preserve the property. That justification might work fine for one property, but when someone continues to buy multi-unit properties and rent the units as STRs, it’s obvious he isn’t doing it to preserve the properties.
After the ADU vote, CM Casar said, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have just eight more ADUs in 78751!” He could have had them overnight if Mr. Gilcrease had converted his own properties to long-term rentals. After all, if we believe that everyone has a right to affordable housing in decent neighborhoods, then it is our obligation to make this happen, and obligation is always an inconvenience.
Perhaps the FANies should clean up their own act before attacking others for shortcomings that they themselves exhibit.
Lorre Weidlich
