Rebuttal to the Housing Alliance’s letter about the Owens II project: Anyone who questions this misguided project is villainized.

The Northwest Oregon Housing Authority proposed excavating a subterranean garage at the base of a known, mapped landslide zone. After the city determined this was not safe, NOHA appealed. Aside from the public safety benefits of minimizing landslide risks, our efforts saved public funds which would have been expended for the proposed work.

We made the city aware two years ago that the proposed zero building setback on 16th Street violated the city’s safety codes for “line of sight” for traffic entering or turning onto 16th. And despite the neighborhood’s repeated requests to address the safety issues, the city chose to later approve a request to modify access to the intersection, without a formal application or notice to anyone.

To clarify, the action filed against the city asked the city to uphold its safety standards, as the intersection is already dangerous, with an unusually high track record for accidents. Once completed there will be 100 units with virtually no off-street parking; the neighborhood will be negatively impacted with additional traffic and less parking.

The real shame here is the use of taxpayer money for over design/build on this small site. Compared to an equivalent private development with parking provided, the cost of this project is almost double.

People who don’t live in the neighborhood may have a different opinion, but the attacks are unwarranted and mean-spirited.

BRIAN COLONNA

Astoria