Letter to the Editor: Affordable Housing Makes Danville Better

By Kathy Dillingham

I am the riff-raff that so many people in the Town of Danville fear.

Nearly ten years ago I signed up for a house under the guidelines of Affordable Housing for the town of Danville.

Do you know the criteria then? An income under $80,000 and being a teacher in the town helped. I was a newly-separated college-educated mother of three children. I had sold my home with my soon-to-be-ex-husband and was looking to find a place that I could afford that would allow my kids to stay in the town they'd been raised, the schools they attended and I taught.

If I was one of the "lucky" chosen ones, I could get a house where I could still afford to have my kids participate in sports and other activities without going into debt. I also thought it would be lucky to get a house meeting that criteria so that I would be able to continue to afford it after alimony and child support payments stopped in my future.

What happened? I found a little condo I could purchase without the help of the Affordable Housing guidelines. When they called me to say I qualified, I felt my children had gone through enough changes so moving was not an option. Instead, I passed the opportunity to another teacher in Danville. She is now married and has three beautiful children. She is the "riff raff" that was able to purchase a home because of zoning.

Where am I now? My income has not increased and the costs were very tight, my children are in college now or graduated, alimony and child support are gone.

Where do I live? I sold my home and moved over the hill in the "other direction." I moved from a 3-bedroom condo with four flights of stairs to a one-story house. I now have an alarm system and I commute further in miles to work. I probably won't have my windows or doors open during the summer months. But you know what? At last count (and yes, I am counting because I find it so refreshing), I have had 17 separate families walk over to my little cottage to introduce themselves and welcome me to the neighborhood. And though my mileage has increased my commute time has only increased by ten minutes due to a reverse commute.

When people find out (some of them my very good friends, family or teammates), some are aghast. Appalled. They wonder why I would move "over there?!"

I absolutely loved raising my kids in Danville, teaching here and volunteering. It is a great place. But reading your articles makes me sad. There is a "bubble" here that brings out the worst in some individuals.

But you know what? "Those people" they fear have been pretty welcoming to me. I'm just sayin'.