There is a common concern in Burien these days, and well--someone has to tell it.

It is a real estate agent and landlord's dream, and a renter's worst nightmare. Rent just went up...way up.

Guess why. The common phrase landlords are using these days to rent their units is, "It's within walking distance of the new Town Square." Any rental within a few blocks of the construction is now hot property.

Renters in Burien are not taking this lightly. Some have decided to do something about these rent hikes. Unfortunately, they are packing their belongings and preparing to move.

The Town Square is going to be beautiful. We also cannot deny that we have dedicated City Council people who have worked hard and spent much time detailing its construction. Still, it is possible we could have missed something in regard to the effect the Town Square will have on the community.

A long-term Burien citizen recently shared information about her rent increase. She received notice that her rent is being raised $190 a month. The property management company told her that since the building is close to the new Town Square, the company could get fair market value. This can be staggering, especially if the tenant is a single parent, disabled, or a senior citizen.

Imagine the Catch-22. A renter needs to move because he or she cannot afford the rent. But to move, the renter has to come up with a deposit, and first and/or last month's rent.

Last week, a Burien citizen found a place she wanted to rent but soon learned she would have to come up with $3,000 to get her foot in the door. There is no way she can come up with that much money on the $10 an hour she earns.

For a while, there were rental ads for a small apartment complex in Burien. There was obvious difficulty renting the units, as the classified ads ran for a long time.

The building was eventually converted to condos and the name changed. People, who would not pay $750 a month to live there, were suddenly willing to pay $1,100 because the apartments became "condos." Of course, as the ad says, it is within walking distance of the new Town Square.

Actually, according to craigslist.com in early Oct. 2008, a new Town Square one bedroom/one bath was listed at $269,950 and a 2-bedroom/2 bath with den was listed at $589,950.

Many predict Burien is going to be comprised of two populations. One will be the rich. They are now described as the ones who can afford a half-million dollar condo that overlooks the you-know-what.

The other end will be comprised of residents with two, three and four roommates who will need to share an apartment.

Someone is missing though. That would be the citizens in the middle-- young families, single-parent families and older traditional families. You might call some of them the working poor. Many of these families have invested in the community, and have children who attend local schools.

Sadly, it is some of these families from local rental houses and apartments that feel displaced. They have patronized local merchants and volunteered in the community.

If they manage to survive next month's rent hike and pay that rent on time, they will probably need to visit the local food bank. Their apartments were home, long before construction began in the heart of Burien. The fact they live within walking distance of the new Town Square will be the farthest thing from their minds.

People are struggling to grasp the reality of a situation they did not anticipate. If their situations are real enough to force them to leave, who are we to tell them this is not true?

Should they go? Should they bide their time and wait for their now affordable housing to have a rent hike or be converted to condos? It has been awhile since some renters have felt settled and secure as they nervously sit in the shadow of the new Town Square.

These renters have no desire to rain on the parade of the excitement of the new Town Square. Still, it was not supposed to be like this.

The new Town Square is certainly the talk of the town--unfortunately, not all of it is positive.