Reasons for the Shortage of Affordable Housing

Mayor Tom Bradley’s declaration “that homeowners groups are largely to blame for the city’s housing shortage,” is a fallacy. (Times, Aug. 18) The shortage of affordable housing stems from a mortgage money shortfall, excessive immigration, stagnant transportation and infrastructure capacity, archaic zoning/building administration and the widespread demolition of affordable housing.

On Sunset in the Palisades, rampant developers buy up affordable apartments, evict the tenants, demolish the buildings, and replace them with luxury condos with tiny rooms, stuffed with opulent gimmicks like granite sinks and Jacuzzi tubs. They list them for $400,000 and up, only to molder unsold. Meanwhile, the homeless sleep in doorways.

I support the 35-foot height limit for multifamily dwellings adjacent to single-family homes. But I’d defect to the 45-foot camp the day the code guarantees the evicted families a 10-year option at the same rental (with reasonable yearly increases) for apartments in the new structures. Fat chance.

IRVING L. UTTAL

Pacific Palisades