Silver Spring is a great place to live, but has become increasingly unaffordable. Even as thousands of new homes are being built in and around downtown, prices continue to rise because there are still more people who want to live here. The people who lose out are lower-income residents, particularly senior citizens on fixed or limited incomes.

Montgomery County officials are considering replacing the former Silver Spring Library on Colesville Road with affordable housing and a childcare center. We support this proposal for the following reasons:

- New housing can keep Silver Spring affordable, diverse, and open to all

- New homes in downtown Silver Spring mean more residents can walk to local shops, community amenities, and public transit, so they don't have to rely on driving

- New homes on close-in, already-developed land mean less pressure to develop forests and farmland on the region's fringe

We understand there's a competing proposal to turn this site into a park, despite the fact that Ellsworth Park is literally next door. As President Obama said last week, restricting new housing makes cities less equitable, less diverse, and less economically productive. We agree that open space is a priority, but it should not override the significant need for more affordable housing in Silver Spring.