We’re all NIMFYs

I admit it. I’m a Chief Garry NIMFY (not in my front yard). And yes, the recipient of chronic condemnation because I had the audacity to gut, renew and rebuild a neighborhood drug den into a once again livable desirable home to rent. So I vote for Nadine.

Rentals are a lot like relationships. You’re only going to attract the renters your house is healthy enough to attract. And why slumlords stay slummy. Renting near garbage isn’t healthy.

We have a front-window view to camping across the road along the Spokane river on cast off couches and old mattresses next to food container trash piles on the city riverfront owned weeds the neighborhood takes turns mowing between the city’s year-old “no camping” signs witnessing the couches or mattresses being tossed into the river to see how far they float in spring runoff. Bike thieves hide stolen bikes in the water. All within sight of our cherished Gonzaga and the Centennial Trail. Beneath us are the century-old sewer mains that dumped raw sewage in the river until 1959.

The truth is, this city can’t or won’t enforce the laws on their pristine signs. So we vote for Nadine and hope for consistent code or parking enforcement without weeks of calling 311 or logging on to my Spokane city dot org. Horrible hopes we have.

Meanwhile, in places like the South Hill or Peaceful Valley we’re condemned. And where people who own fufu Airbnb’s and VRBO’s live that add to the housing shortage while they squawk for more socialized housing. Looks like we’re all NIMFYs. It’s admitting it that varies.

Mike Reno

Spokane