Building-Limits Initiative

The attack in Letters (April 16) by a North Westwood Village resident on Councilman Yaroslavsky’s good faith in supporting the Westwood building moratorium ought to be rebutted. This institution is also a resident of Westwood and can vouch for Yaroslavsky’s consistent concern for our dramatic housing problems.

The plight of students and faculty looking for affordable housing near the campus is manifest. The number of students, for example, who live within a mile of the campus has declined significantly in the past decade or so, because they cannot afford the rents and we do not have enough dormitories.

The only exceptions I know of to the building moratorium in the North Village area have been granted with the condition that 25% of any new housing be set aside or made available to UCLA students at rates they can afford, and this condition was created by Yaroslavsky and is rigidly enforced by him--often to the consternation of developers.

I do not view this as reckless, but as enlightened. A proper concern for balance in the Westwood neighborhood must recognize the legitimate needs of our students, which Zev does.

ALAN F. CHARLES

Vice Chancellor

Public Affairs

UCLA