In discussions about housing in Asheville government officials, developers, neighborhood activists, and even non-profit representatives are often featured in the media, especially when a dispute over a particular proposed development comes to the fore.

But amid all the argument about appropriate density, aesthetics, traffic there’s another group that’s hardly ever heard from: Ashevilleans who work within the city and are trying to find a place to live. That’s often challenging, especially with the rising cost of housing. Many of us have, or know, personal stories, but they rarely make it into the public eye.

So let us know: Did you manage to find an affordable place? Were the landlords reasonable? What was the condition of the housing? Has the search become harder over the years? Did you ever have to stay with friends? Were you ever homeless due to the difficulty of finding a place?

Leave personal experiences in the comments below or email them to me at dforbes [at] mountainx.com. We’ll keep remarks (at least those delivered via email) private if people wish.