Kudos and best of luck to the Barr Foundation for putting money into the debate on the future of our Boston Harbor waterfront (“Pushing a vision, voice for harbor,’’ Shirley Leung, Page A1, May 11). I emphasize “our’’ waterfront because, like so much of the development happening so rapidly in Boston, the people who actually reside here seem, sadly, to have no voice in the debate over what is going on.

And it’s happening fast. It involves tons of money being spent on high-rise condos and office space, which in turn has a serious impact on the quality and availability of affordable housing for those of us hoping to remain here. Money is talking, and loudly.

I am proud to live in Boston, and proud of its reputation as the beautiful city it is. I have no problem with change and moving forward (contrary to a recent op-ed by Mike Ross, which suggested that we have become a city of “no’’).

But as we watch our neighborhoods change and lose their flavor, and see local businesses forced out as well, let us take a breath and not make Boston one big corporate-condo city.

Greg Pitts

Dorchester