“Floral Hill housing opponents aren’t NIMBYs. We just want to be safe.”

by Letters to the Editor September 11, 2026

As her response to neighborhood opposition to her organization’s plan to build a 40-unit publicly financed housing development on Floral Hill Drive, a narrow road a mile and a half from the nearest grocery store and bus stop, DevNW CEO Emily Reiman argues the project is actually less dense than what current code allows, that another developer could build as many as 54 units on the site, and “likely would.”

The property in question may be zoned for development, but whether it should be is debatable, at the very least. There are many things the law allows that only a fool would do. If you’ve followed the history of this particular parcel, you know that it languished on the market for a couple of years at what should have been a reasonable price, during which time any one of the many private developers in town could have bought and tried to build on it. None of them did. If that doesn’t speak volumes, you’re not listening.

Most people realize that there’s a shortage of affordable housing in this area. Many of us support using our tax dollars to help people who can’t otherwise find livable homes. Those tax dollars are not unlimited, though, and so they must be used as wisely as possible.

Eugene officials have a duty to act in our interests, but instead appear to prioritize meeting housing construction quotas over both our safety and fiscal prudence. Our public servants owe us their very best judgment skills. Building a development a mile and a half from essential services isn’t wise. It isn’t even reasonable. It’s simply foolish. 

To those who consider Laurel Hill Valley neighbors just a bunch of NIMBYs: come visit the valley. Look at Floral Hill Drive and consider what an increase in traffic from the 56% increase in houses would look like — or what a 56% increase would look like on your street. Even DevNW acknowledges this as a “car-dependent neighborhood.” We just want to be safe. Don’t you?

Deborah Hoernig
Eugene