Hospices for AIDS Patients

In Baker’s article Alex Hensel was quoted as saying that the neighbors who disagreed with his decision to rent his home to Ron Wolff, executive director of hospice, for use as a hospice were upset and concerned only because they felt their property values would decrease.

We would like to set the record straight. While property values play a part in our concern, we are at least equally concerned about the kind of neighborhood we want for our families and our children.

If the average stay of a patient is 60 days and there are six patients, simple arithmetic suggests that the coroner and/or hearse will be on the premises an average of once every 10 days. There are currently only three patients at this unlicensed facility and already ambulances have come and gone frequently. This is not a normal single family environment.

Wolff told neighbors that no one would die at this facility; patients would be moved before this happened. This has not been the case.

Wolff is operating a business in an R-1 zone. It happens to deal with an emotionally charged issue but could just as well deal with any segment of society in need of care. This is an illegal use of an R-1 zoned house. How many families would choose to live where their children play in a hospital-type environment? The very fact that Wolff had searched unsuccessfully for a year before finding someone willing to lease property to terminally ill patients suggests that we are not alone in our feelings and concerns.

Another concern is that a resident in the area who wishes to sell his property must disclose that there is an AIDS hospice in the area so that prospective buyers are aware of it. (There is already one such case in our area.) We suggest that not many families would knowingly choose to buy in such a neighborhood.

We recognize and support the need for hospices. However, we do not feel that an area zoned for single-family dwellings is the place for them.

Bringing this hospice to an R-1 neighborhood was a first and a test case. Wolff’s goal is to open at least two more hospices by next year. If the zoning board rules in favor of Wolff and this care facility, then all R-1 zoned areas in the city will be vulnerable! Think about it.

MR. and MRS. JOE EICH

MR. and MRS. MICHAEL BOWEN

JOSEPH J. SCARANO

ERIKA H. SCARANO

TERRI MELECK

THOMAS MELECK

GEORGE O. NEUMAN

Los Angeles