Splaine: Will Portsmouth become a city for only the affluent? It's up to us.

All of us enjoy seeing a friend we hadn't talked with for a while. Even if the encounter lasts only a minute, we can say hello, mention a thing or two, then leave — having had the pleasant memory of catching up, however briefly.

Such happened to me a couple of weeks ago while entering a supermarket on a warm afternoon during the final few days of summer. After some smalltalk we dived directly into local politics, probably to right where we had left off a couple of years previous.

This might not be exact, but it's close — he said: "Portsmouth is going to be a playland in 30 years. But for whom?" From our years of chats, I understood the message he was conveying is that only the very rich would be able to live here to enjoy our community. That higher taxes, housing costs, and prices of everything is already making a Portsmouth lifestyle impossible for most to afford. What will it be in 30 years?

As our moment continued, I ran his question around in my mind. It was a mighty good question. He, the conservative — me, the liberal — what could my response be? So I said something like yes, it will be a playground, but it will be so for a continuingly more diverse group of people — culturally, racially, economically. We are a welcoming community. We even passed a "Welcoming Resolution" in 2016.

Thinking about it more later, perhaps his question may have been more precise: will people of a diversity of incomes be able to afford to live, and play in Portsmouth in 30 years? And just how will people of all incomes be able to be part of Portsmouth in 30 years, enjoying our community and being able to call it "home"?

On that, he asks a vital question for us to consider more. The cost of much that Portsmouth has to offer is expensive, from restaurants and plays, to attending events or visiting exhibits and historic buildings. Even parking fees keep moving higher.

While incomes will increase during the coming 30 years, the costs of everything else will too; income vs. expenses is always a challenge and can get out of balance quickly. Not everyone will be on the winning side.

Fortunately, our community offers lots of entertainment absolutely free, or just about. There are hundreds, even thousands of things that can entertain us that cost nothing. Try listing them. I'll start: a stroll along our South End streets for an hour or just sitting on a park bench or sitting in Market Square talking with a friend, can be three on that list. And we have lots of streets, neighborhoods, benches and parks hereabouts. That's just for starters.

But finding housing is a problem. There's a hard-working housing committee that meets regularly at City Hall. Their meetings since March can be viewed on the city's website. Members have brought excellent background and skills to the discussions, and are clearly dedicated to identifying ways to encourage more workforce and below-market-rate housing through the city.

Just like smaller cars are usually less expensive than larger cars and SUVs, so can be housing of various sizes. There are options of housing sizes, and the internet is filled with what works elsewhere, including where land costs are high. Developers should be incentivized to create some here.

We need to use the talent of area architects, developers, realtors and contractors to do it. A cooperative city government that streamlines the permitting and oversight process can make it easier to happen. For residents and businesses receiving the property revaluation letter this past week, my friend's question became all the more personal and relevant.

In the housing mix right now, we have a focus on one, two, and three bedroom housing — and yes, we need more. But attention to encouraging housing for single people of all ages, or couples who may want to downsize into a micro-housing or co-living environment makes sense so that housing income diversity can be part of that future.

Portsmouth Housing Committee: To see meetings and contact members, go to cityofportsmouth.com, or YouTube.com/CityofPortsmouth.

Next time: New policestation: Make it work, but make it nice.

Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been New Hampshire state senator for six years, representative for 24 years, Police Commission and School Board member, Portsmouth assistant mayor for 12 years and city councilor for 18 years. He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouthNH@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Splaine: Will Portsmouth become a city for only the affluent?