To the editor:

This letter is in response to an article written by Missy Schrott in the Jan. 11 edition of the Alexandria Times entitled “John Chapman seeks reelection” to city council. My concern deals with an older building being destroyed when the building could have been restored for affordable housing located at 1500 King St.

This building was originally specifically built to house apartments. The article heavily deals with Councilman Chapman talking about the importance of the need for affordable housing in the City of Alexandria. The plan for this building is to destroy it and replace it with a large, six-story hotel, which will not include affordable housing. City council agreed 100 percent to this.

Whereas the view of city council member Chapman stressed the significance of having more affordable housing in the city, this will not be taking place on King Street with older properties being destroyed for more hotels. This city is building more and more hotels: with this addition there will be five hotels within a city block. This destruction and rebuilding of another hotel is shameful and irresponsible for the development of more affordable housing.

This is going on all over the city as affordable housing is being squeezed out. This particular situation is exactly what is happening in our city. Schrott did not stress this fact in her article, whereas she placed heavy significant reporting on what one city council member has done for affordable housing.

 -Jim Melton, Alexandria