Last week for print, Jasmine Gallup wrote about how the local housing crisis, in Orange County specifically, is displacing residents who can’t afford to pay as landlords up rents all over the Triangle. Our readers on Facebook and Instagram had thoughts.

“No one’s building clean apartments with functioning appliances in a decently safe neighborhood,” wrote Facebook commenter Timothy Robert. “It’s either luxury or low end student housing. I don’t need a damn pool or tennis courts; just fix the leaks/fridge and keep it well lit.”

“Not only that, landlords are not being held accountable for breaking the housing code in more affordable housing,” wrote commenter sophistigrace on Instagram. “Everyone is in trouble, everything is taking advantage of us. At NCCLO [NC Congress of Latino Organizations] we are trying to fight for this!”

“It’s the same story all over the country,” wrote Instagram commenter lehcarffoh. “And it’s not so much growing populations but greedy landlords, Ab&b businesses, and a general lack of affordable housing. Welcome to capitalism in the 21st century.”

Also for print, Gallup interviewed Michael Oakes, an NC State engineering student who is running for the state House of Representatives as a libertarian. Instagram commenters had a lot of thoughts.

“A 21 year old engineering student is a libertarian. More after the breaking story about the Pope being Catholic,” wrote commenter infamouscoryj.

“New rule: you can’t run as a libertarian if you are still on your parents cell phone plan,” wrote commenter saraseesyou. “New rule#2 – you can’t be a libertarian if you stayed on your parents health plan because of the ACA,” saraseesyou added.

“Can’t wait to hear his spicy take on age of consent laws and crypto,” wrote commenter NRCWEber.

“The libertarian part raised some alarms but his housing stance is kinda good?” wrote commenter alien ghost on Twitter. “His understanding of libertarianism hints at the non aggression principle, though. I wonder what his views are on property rights and government regulatory agencies.”

Also on Twitter, commenter max von shinedown had this to say: “Feel like i could toss a rock at any college campus and hit 20 of these guys lol.”

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