1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

While expanding affordable housing is a worthy goal, selling off federal public lands is an unwise solution that risks permanently privatizing precious natural areas and limiting public access. These lands belong to all Americans and are an invaluable resource for recreation, wildlife habitat, and conservation. Once sold, we may never regain control over their future use and development. Instead of indiscriminately selling off public lands, we should explore alternative strategies for creating affordable housing, such as incentivizing development on existing private or municipal lands, increasing housing density in urban areas, and promoting sustainable, transit-oriented communities. Additionally, we could prioritize the use of already disturbed or degraded lands before considering the sale of pristine natural areas. Protecting public lands for current and future generations is a matter of environmental stewardship and preserving our shared natural heritage. I urge you to reject proposals to sell off federal lands and instead pursue solutions that balance housing needs with responsible land management and environmental conservation.