I am responding to the letter to the editor from Dylan Goldberg that was printed in the June 4 edition of the Flier. Mr. Goldbergidentified himself as a resident of downtown Columbia who is also amillennial and who listens to Merriweather concerts from his porch. Hesaid although he is "... envious of friends who live within walkingdistance of their work, their late night bars, and farmers markets, among other things ... our concert venue [Merriweather] is a top-billing reason that young people want to live here."
My response is, if his millennial friends would be drawn to living indowntown Columbia because of Merriweather they better have jobs thatpay a very good salary because there is no affordable housing in thecurrent downtown development plan.It is my impression that asubstantial percentage of young people in their early and middletwenties have not yet established themselves in higher paying jobs andcould not afford to live in downtown Columbia.I believe that is whyObamacare extends their parents health coverage to include them to age26.
Mr. Goldberg seems to be a budding activist by supportingMerriweather. I hope he also joins in the call for affordable housingin downtown Columbia.
Barbara L. Russell
Columbia