The founders of Sandy Springs Together, David and Melanie Couchman, were asked by the Sandy Springs Reporter to write an op-ed on the future of Sandy Springs. We took this opportunity to lay out our vision of the future of our city.
“For the first time, the children of working families are less likely to do better than their parents. This problem is impacting middle-income families, including teachers and first responders. From 2011 to 2016, rents rose at five times the rate of a family’s income. Young families, with rents taking more than 50% of their income, can’t save for a home down payment, and with high home prices and student loan debt, many don’t qualify for mortgages, disrupting a natural progression to home ownership.
Apartments are an asset: Given today’s land-acquisition and construction costs, many cities have created policies and incentives to protect this valuable resource and the families living there. Forward-thinking cities realize that existing apartments are a necessary component of a growing and thriving community.
We encourage our city to do the same. Together we can do this.”
We believe in a future for Sandy Springs that includes and lifts everyone up. And we know that it won’t be possible without your help and most importantly — your voices.
You can read the rest of the article here. We hope that you’ll read the full article for yourself, and then share the link with your family members, friends, colleagues and peers.
This is only the beginning of this fight. We couldn’t do this without you and we’re glad to have you on our side.
