Blythe Street Story Misleading

The account of the city’s efforts to improve the Blythe Street community (“Revitalization Plan Reduced in Scope,” Times Valley Edition, May 17) was biased and misleading. It treated developer Dave Vadehra’s mere proposal as something guaranteed to be accomplished and gave his statements, however unfounded, priority treatment.

The story was particularly inaccurate with regard to the Park Parthenia project. For example, the fact is that Mr. Vadehra did not live up to his word on the project and had to be taken out, leaving it uncompleted. Someone else had to finish the job.

Furthermore, the record shows that I voted approval of Park Parthenia plans and financing on May 3, 1988, and again on July 31, 1990. Earlier, on Nov. 26, 1986, I voted no on the question of making the tax-free bonds for the project exempt from the city’s South African anti-apartheid ordinance.

The work my staff has invested in Blythe Street has gone far beyond organizing “several meetings of city agencies.” Our approach has been comprehensive, involving the organization and participation of property owners, property managers and tenants as well as local community organizations and merchants. It never was a simplistic “police crackdown.”

Over the years, we have tried to involve the people of the community in cleaning up their neighborhood and to assist them in taking back the street from the gangs. The LAPD has cooperated fully in providing extra patrols and in helping to organize Neighborhood Watch groups.

We will continue to work for solutions on Blythe Street.

ERNANI BERNARDI

Bernardi represents the 7th District in the Los Angeles City Council .