Article on Bungalows Draws Fire, Praise

I applaud Sam Kaplan’s article “Playing Politics With a Landmark”in the Real Estate section.

Kaplan certainly exposed the situation accurately regarding the building moratorium exemption passed by the City Council in favor of Jan Development Co. The council passed this exemption without our district being represented and with no regard to the residents’ protest.

This exemption is obviously political, and is so detrimental to the residents in this area that it makes one wonder where there is any justice. The residents have grouped together to preserve this area of Hollywood, but are all but ignored by our elected officials. We want to preserve the 13-unit complex now existing. Jan Development Co. wants to tear it down and build 180 low-income apartment units.

The Cultural Heritage Society declared this complex a historical landmark. I went to its meeting and was very impressed by the educated historians who spoke on behalf of the bungalow complex. The feeling of old Hollywood should be preserved because Hollywood represents a certain magic worldwide. We have to do something now to preserve that magic.

Another reason this exemption is lunacy is the effect a 180-unit complex will have on an already horrendous traffice problem in the Highland-Camrose area. During the Hollywood Bowl season this problem becomes nearly impossible. Building a complex of 180 units would add another 1,500 car trips per day which would make the traffic situation unbearable.

Finally, there are a lot of robberies, prostitution and drug dealings in Hollywood. To build 180 units to house low-income and transient individuals would only add to a problem the police can’t cope with as it is, and endanger the safety of the surrounding homeowners.

No matter how one looks at this exemption, it certainly is not in the best interests of the current residents of this area. The manner in which the City Council passed this exemption is extremely questionable. We, the residents, will not accept this decision, which will affect each of our lives without a fight.

Sam Kaplan’s article exposed the situation with City Council and our lack of representation very well. Perhaps, through the media something can be done to reverse the council’s decision.

SARAH RADCLIFFE

Los Angeles