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Letter: This is why cities allow affordable rentals to be torn down

The Editor, Re. " Letter: This is why Coquitlam car numbers are no surprise to residents " and " Letter: Money talks and renters are hurt in Coquitlam " (Letters, tricitynews.com, Dec. 1).
Rental units on Sussex Avenue at Metrotown were demolished to make way for new condos.
Rental units on Sussex Avenue at Metrotown were demolished to make way for new condos.

The Editor, 

Re. "Letter: This is why Coquitlam car numbers are no surprise to residents" and "Letter: Money talks and renters are hurt in Coquitlam" (Letters, tricitynews.com, Dec. 1).

Although letter writers Jeremy Tessier and Felix Thijssen raise the issue of residential redevelopment for two different reasons — traffic and lack of affordability — neither touches on the reason cities are content to tear down older, affordable housing and replace it with expensive higher density units.

You just need to look at Vancouver. It has slowed residential development and is now proposing an almost 9% increase in property taxes. Municipalities are unable to control spending so they have to increase revenues by increasing housing to get the increased property taxes and development fees it generates. Flat housing development would result in massive annual property tax increases, as we are now starting to see in Vancouver.

Bob Elliott, Port Coquitlam