Overcoming the Cycle of Poverty in Los Angeles Housing Projects

In response to your article “L.A. Housing Projects: Cycle of Poverty” (Part I, May 16):

I don’t think that the social, economic, and housing ills of the poor occupying the city’s low-income housing projects are all that impossible to overcome.

I think that the most obvious and also the best solution would be to hire the residents of these housing projects to administer and perform the work on the needed programs, such as building repairs and maintenance, child-care centers, youth activities (scouting and other activities), job placement services, crisis hot lines, counseling services, etc.

The city could provide the training programs and materials needed to start and maintain these programs. The benefits of this approach are enormous.

First, the money will be going directly to the people who know best the needs of the area and who will most care how the programs are administered. They will also be the people who need the money the most, thus raising the employment level of the housing projects.

Second, the most profound benefit will be psychological. These people will have renewed pride and increased optimism because they will have a job which not only pays a salary, but gives them the opportunity of doing something very constructive for themselves, their families, and their community.

People need most of all to feel wanted, as valued members of society. People who feel that way do not need to turn to drugs, crime, or pregnancy as a means of escaping society’s scorn and neglect.

The city must do something to help these people, and the best way of helping them is providing a way for them to help themselves.

KRISTINE GLENN

Torrance