Carol Golden | Letter to Town Topics Princeton | May 22nd, 2019
Ensuring that Princeton remains a diverse and inclusive community is the central challenge we now face. I write to support Mia Sacks in the June 4th Primary because of her compassionate and proven commitment to our community and this challenge.
Having served on Princeton’s Affordable Housing Board and as Chair of Housing Initiatives of Princeton, I am acutely aware of the needs of our most vulnerable community members. Princeton’s varied neighborhoods have long provided homes and shelter to families from many backgrounds. That diversity is a major reason why so many of us were drawn to live here.
The ever-increasing cost of housing means local businesses must rely on workers who endure long commutes and need a place to park all day. Increasingly, families who have been here for generations can no longer remain. It will take hard work, planning and expertise to maintain Princeton’s socioeconomic diversity. Our zoning regulations must be revised in order to for us to succeed. We need for Princeton Council to make these issues a priority and to involve the community in its decision-making processes.
Princeton will shortly conclude a four-year effort to develop an affordable housing plan. Council members elected this year will have the responsibility of implementing this plan. Mia is uniquely qualified to understand and meet these challenges. Her grandmother was an early advocate for affordable housing in Princeton and Mia experienced first-hand, growing up in Princeton, the way in which housing is impacted by changes to a family’s economic status. She has observed the struggles faced by several generations of family members striving to age in place.
Mia is a leader in the Princeton Progressive Action Group which has been at the forefront of advocating for missing middle housing in Princeton. Proactive planning for Princeton is the focus of Mia’s candidacy. On Council she will work to include the entire community in the process of planning for affordable housing and its implications for transportation and schools.
Keeping Princeton a vibrant and inclusive community starts with ensuring that affordable, safe and well-maintained homes are available to persons of all income levels. Mia is committed to this vision of our town and I am confident that she will work successfully to make it a reality.
Carol Golden
Snowden Lane, Princeton.