Apartment Boom Rattles Neighbor

I am a concerned citizen highly opposed to the many new apartments being built all over the West Los Angeles area to replace lots that used to be occupied by a house or two. Yes, at times they may look a lot better than the former houses, but looks aren’t everything.

There have already been two new apartments built a block from my home within the past couple of months and I have been quite inconvenienced by both. Not only do the needed trucks and machinery take up practically half a lane of two-way street, but what is left of the street is in a shambles. The streets around the site have been so filled with dust that when one drives by he or she can’t see a thing through the dust. And as if that’s not bad enough, there are rocks, gravel and potholes that have evolved throughout the street.

A couple of months later I still see “Now Renting” signs all over these new complexes. I’ve even seen special offers like a month’s free rent or free vacations to entice prospective buyers, but they don’t seem to be working because the “Now Renting” signs still persist. One reason for this is that prices are too outrageous for people to pay. The units may be beautiful and spacious but that’s futile if no one can afford to rent them. I find these apartment complexes to be nothing but a big hassle.

TRIXIE GAIL MAULEON

West Los Angeles