US Election 2004

Friday, August 6, 2004
The US Census Bureau has ranked Loudoun County Virginia as the faster growing county in America based upon its increase in population.  This is despite severe restrictions imposed several years ago to prevent development.  With more people and less new housing, the consequences are obvious to everyone except the Board of Supervisors and their supporters who prevented the defeat of anti-growth board members in the last election.  
 
In response to news reports regarding a related regulatory proposal, a local weekly the Loudoun Easterner published the following LTE with the title "Rezoning to blame": 

Your article on the county supervisors’ efforts to limit the number of people living in a single home misses the essential point (“Limit on Residents Moves Forward Here, 7/28/2004).  The Easterner reports that Supervisor Bruce Tulloch (R-Potomac) blames “investors” for the creation of flophouses, where 15-20 people live in a 1,400 square foot home.  Further, the Easterner reports that Building and Development director Terrance Wharton states that the Board of Supervisors can solve overcrowding by additional regulation.
 
However, the Board of Supervisors created this problem in the first place by rezoning the county in an effort to create “smart” development.  Predictably, their intervention has led to skyrocketing housing prices and the banishment of affordable housing from Loudoun County.
 
Frankly, Loudoun does not need more preemptive intervention by the Board of Supervisors into the free exchange of values between individuals.  At this point, the Board of Supervisors should focus upon respecting the rights of property owners to develop their assets instead of attempting to cover the consequences of their actions with Band-Aids.  This would require them to admit that their efforts to strong-arm property owners through zoning regulations was an injustice and to reverse restrictions on development.
 
When we seek affordable housing, it is the capitalists not the politicians that will produce it.

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