letter to the editor
Support for Farragut Pointe low-mid income apts.
This letter is written in response to the headline article “Low Income Apartments” in the March 11, 2021 edition of your paper.
First let me state that County Commissioner John Schoonmaker does an outstanding job of staying in touch with the citizens and stakeholders of the Fifth Commission District. He is especially responsive in addressing homeowner and homeowner association issues and concerns. In the case of this article, I think he was not fully aware of all issues related to the Farragut Pointe apartment project. Some of the points made in the March 11 article are addressed in this letter.
The first critical point is related to the headline of the article, “Low Income Apartments.” If the readers of the farragutpress consider the incomes of school teachers, librarians, firefighters, sheriff deputies, retail store managers, restaurant managers and bank employees who come to work daily in our community as low income then your headline is correct.
This is the income level these apartments are targeted to attract. This workforce does not need public transportation, as the article implied, any more than the homeowners of Concord Hills. Furthermore, since these apartments will be less than a mile from the four-laned Campbell Station Road, “food, jobs and medical care” are certainly within a reasonable distance” of the apartment location.
In fact, these apartments will provide homes for residents who work in these jobs in our community.
It is ironic that no HOAs are concerned with residents moving into the $700,000 homes being built in subdivisions off Harvey Road having access to “food, jobs and medical care.”
Also, it appears some HOAs may be concerned with the condition of Loop Road. But Loop Road, with its immediate access to Campbell Station, is certainly just as adequate as Harvey Road for new residential development.
The citizens of Farragut must realize that new home construction in the area starts at $350,000 and rapidly escalates. Homes in the area are frequently sold within days of real estate listings. The supply of quality residential property is limited and the demand is great.
I hope the citizens of Farragut recognize that the workforce that contributes to our quality of life in retail and restaurants, public service and public safety and education is a valuable component of our community. This workforce desires quality residential options that allow them to live near the community in which they work.
Developer John Huber realizes the need for quality residential options for this critical workforce. And (Knox County) Mayor Glenn Jacobs also realizes this need in his approval of this project. They both know that our community has a talented workforce of professional and skilled employees who cannot readily afford a $350,000 home, but certainly prefer to live in the community where they work. Farragut Pointe will provide this option to a workforce we rely on every day.
Mike Arms, Farragut
