Privatizing Public Housing

In response to “Watts Residents Go Public on Privatization,” July 14:

Privatization of public housing developments: Cui bono ? HUD requires that the housing authorities are run with the input of their residents. No resident council, no federal subsidies! Consequently, the poverty pimps in the housing authorities prop up a few “resident-leaders” to front as resident councils, keep the money coming and make political hay for (HUD Secretary) Jack Kemp and his ilk.

These “elected resident leaders” do not understand the consequences of their own somnambulistic posturing any better than the poor people they supposedly represent. Now, all are to be brainwashed into working toward their own destruction by buying the “projects”!

Consider the scenario: The best and the brightest will always strive to escape the ghetto and its stigma. (Who would want to buy her own prison cell?) Left behind would be the most helpless ones who do not possess the resources to successfully manage their co-op.

Eventually, the deteriorated housing stock will be condemned and sold to the highest bidding developers. Isn’t this traditional “redevelopment”?

Hopefully, my neighbors in public housing will wake up before we find ourselves in the streets: up to our ears in Jack Kemp’s political voodoo-doodoo!

PEGGY M. ETTLINGER

San Pedro