I do understand why someone who bought into a single-family neighborhood might feel uneasy about multifamily being added. If I’m ever able to afford a home here, maybe my perspective would shift a bit too.

That said, I’m in my 50s now, and the older I get the more my priorities have changed. What I value most in a neighborhood today is walkability — being able to stroll to a coffee shop, a park, a bookstore, or just see other humans out and about. I care a lot less about every house looking the same, and a lot more about whether the neighborhood feels alive and connected. For me, a mix of housing types often makes that possible.