Kwasman’s assumptions about residents’ values based on their address

Scottsdale’s 2023 demographic report showed 60,126 residents who live in multifamily housing units. That’s over 25% of the city’s total population.

During a City Council candidate forum on June 26, Adam Kwasman said that people who live in apartments “aren’t part of the community” and “are only here temporarily.” He also said, “Let’s be honest, who’s moving into apartments, those who don’t share the values of people in this room.” Unless Adam Kwasman personally knows everyone living in an apartment, he is making assumptions that are highly prejudicial. 

As a 41-year resident of Scottsdale, I’ve lived in a variety of different residences, including an apartment. My friend is a single mom and health care worker and has lived in an apartment in Scottsdale for years. For her, owning a single-family home in Scottsdale isn’t financially possible, but she wants to live close to her job and her children attend SUSD schools. I also know a Scottsdale employee who, with his wife and son, lived in an apartment in Scottsdale for three years because they wanted to live in the community where he worked while saving for a down payment on a single-family home.

I believe that it is the job of the City Council to represent all of Scottsdale’s residents, but based on his own words, Adam Kwasman does not. And it’s not like we can ask him to explain his harsh comments about anyone living in an apartment because Adam Kwasman chose not to participate in the last two public City Council forums. 

To publicly state that Scottsdale residents “aren’t part of the community” and “that they don’t share the values” he has because they live in an apartment seems very biased. Scottsdale needs City Council members who value all of the city’s residents and that’s not Adam Kwasman.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.