Letters to the editor for Nov. 3

Increase rental assistance

Access to affordable housing is critical to ending the housing crisis afflicting our communities.

When COVID hit, millions of Americans already faced an impossible choice: Do I feed my family or do I pay the rent? As we all know, COVID only deepened the crisis. And federal housing assistance programs have long been grossly underfunded. (Only 1 in 4 qualified applicants actually receive support.)

Congress continues to negotiate the Build Back Better recovery package but there is now a lot of talk about scaling back our investment. Whatever the final outcome, it is critical that rental assistance programs be included. Now is the time to let all our representatives know that this is a rare opportunity to actually do something to help those of us who are unhoused, and we can all see how difficult it is for communities to deal with this situation alone.

I urge Rep. Strickland and Senators Murray and Cantwell to advocate to preserve the proposed $90 billion in rental assistance, including at least $75 billion for Housing Choice Vouchers. These investments will remove the threat of evictions and homelessness for countless Americans and start to undo our sad legacy of racial discrimination in housing.

Carol Kraege, Olympia

Let’s provide safe environments

To all who have proposed creating sheds for the homeless. And to those willing to listen:

I am encouraged to hear that the people of Olympia want to help those in need. However. I believe that many people suffering from homelessness will be poorly served by the proposed solution. I am saddened by the communities being established. A more practical and clean solution can be created with a sustainable residential building. I believe that technology, engineering, and medical breakthroughs can help.

There are so many buildings in Olympia that could use renovating and with an actual building we could house many more people. It is time to move with the future!

Safe environments consist of social workers, security officers, nurses, maintenance, and soup kitchens. Along with creating many jobs, the tenants could apply to work, for example, maintenance, landscaping, etc. A structured home would help Olympian citizens obtain the confidence they lack. They need stability, guidance, help — not makeshift solutions. These people are our community and deserve to get into a facility that is appropriate. There is a need for apartment-like structures with actual rooms and places to call “home.”

I urge planners and professionals of Olympia to move towards the future. Sheds are a thing of the past -- they are going to weather and degrade over time. This type of community building degrades the environment, its people, and Olympia. Why not use the available financing to improve lives and improve the surroundings in our community?

Patricia Bracy, Olympia

Pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill

I have sent the following to the President and Democratic leaders in Congress:

It’s past time for Democrats to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

I usually vote for Democrats and am disgusted with today’s Republican party, but I also am increasingly dissatisfied with the far left of the Democratic party. If you fail to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, I may start contributing to candidates who run against the most extreme progressives.

Progressives need to understand that lasting progress is made a step at a time. If they insist on “giant steps or nothing,” we will end up with nothing, Democrats will lose control of both houses of Congress, and Donald Trump or a member of his cult will be elected in 2024.

Democrats desperately need a win to show they are competent to run the country. The bipartisan infrastructure bill would be a win the whole country would applaud. It would make it more likely swing voters will vote for Democrats again. If progressives block the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Democrats will lose big in 2022 and 2024.

Democrats in Congress seem to have forgotten that Joe Biden won the Democratic primaries running as a moderate, not Bernie Sanders. If Democrats won’t give Sanders a majority, why do progressives think the whole country will vote for Democrats after they slam Bernie’s platform through Congress on a party line vote?

Please don’t let the perfect (in your opinion) be the enemy of the good.

Carl Schroeder, Olympia