Unaffordable apartments in the old Urban Government Center will accelerate gentrification

In a housing and climate crisis, Louisville Metro Council should use vacant government property as an opportunity to consider best and highest use of the land. The developer for the Urban Government Center property at Barret and Breckinridge has requested a TIF, or use of tax revenue, to fund the development of luxury apartments. This proposed development gives nothing back to the surrounding community, and will do nothing to help alleviate our housing and climate crisis.

My understanding is that the development calls for 10% of the units to be affordable, by the city’s definition, to people making up to 80% of the area median income for Louisville. According to the Housing Authority, 80% of the area median income is $47,450, or $22.81 an hour. Using the 30% rule, "affordable rent" for that income is $1,186 a month. A living wage in Louisville for a single adult with one child is $31.77/hour according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology's living wage calculator. Already the “affordable housing” is not affordable for a single parent, nor seniors on fixed incomes or social security. A reminder that the minimum wage is still $7.25.

BackgroundLouisville picks a developer (again) to renovate long-closed Urban Government Center

For some context, let’s look into Metro Government salaries. Louisville Metro Animal Services employees’ average salary in 2021 was $41,469. Of 75 employees, only 16 LMAS employees made over $43,050 (the 80% area median income in 2021). The apartments would not be affordable to 80% of the LMAS employees. A quick look at Louisville Metro Parks salaries for 2021 show many supervisors who have been with Parks for over a decade not even making $43,000.

It seems immoral to use tax dollars to build luxury apartments (the developer claims it will be the most expensive apartments per square foot in the city), on over $2 million worth of land being given to the developer for $1, with “affordable housing” that our own city employees could not afford—and built in a historically working-class neighborhood.

When we take into consideration that the historical use of this site is the location of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority offices it serves as an even more stark contrast to what this developer is proposing. To put these unaffordable apartments in the middle of a working class neighborhood, which is sure to accelerate gentrification, in place of the support offices that helped our most vulnerable population ensure shelter, sends a clear message to the people of Louisville in where our priorities are and how much we care to address the housing crisis.

More Opinion:How can Louisville support Paristown Pointe plans while cutting emergency services?

I understand the desire to develop the vacant property. In addition to the most expensive apartments in town, the plan includes a bunch of non-native tree species and lots of impermeable surfaces such as a hotel, office buildings, and a giant parking garage. There is no word in the pattern book about any eco-friendly design.

Many tell me this is a done deal. Maybe that is the case, but if so, our tax dollars should not be supporting a development that gives nothing back to our community, and that will lead to greater hardship for those in our community that are already struggling. Louisville Metro Council owes it to the community to do better.

Rebecca Minnick grew up in the Clifton neighborhood in the 70s and 80s, and now lives in Germantown. She has a B.A. from Hanover College and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University. She has worked in the environmental education field for almost 20 years. She is a member of German-Paristown Neighborhood Association.

Co-signed

Eric Baldwin, Paristown Pointe Neighborhood Association

Jody Dahmer, Smoketown Neighborhood Association

John Gonder, President, German-Paristown Neighborhood Association

Amy Wade Luckett, Original Highlands Neighborhood Association

Doug Magee, Phoenix Hill Neighborhood Association

Shannon Musselman, President, Paristown Pointe Neighborhood Association

Jim Schorch, Original Highlands Neighborhood Association

Randall Webber, Smoketown Neighborhood Association

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Unaffordable apartments in the old UGC will accelerate gentrification