Michael Woo

In response to “Woo’s Hollywood Imprint Is Shaping Bid for Mayor,” Feb. 21:

Hollywood has a tremendous number of problems confronting this totally unique social laboratory that could frustrate the best of intentions, but I feel I must relate this one story.

About five years ago I was a resident manager of an apartment building in Los Feliz that was experiencing a rash of auto break-ins in the garage. Frustrated by the lack of police response (even when an actual break-in was in progress), I called Councilman Woo’s office to register a complaint.

On a Sunday morning several weeks later, my phone rang and on the other end was Michael Woo. To my utter amazement, he was calling me from the lobby of my building and asked if I could spare a few minutes to talk to him about the problems I was having.

Woo listened intently while an assistant took notes. He then explained some of the problems the police force was experiencing in the area and how this was impacting me and the other citizens of Los Angeles. He also promised to try to make improvements in response time, but cautioned that budgets and a lack of funding for the needed manpower were the major obstacles. I was very impressed by his concern and willingness to listen.

For once, I felt that my input mattered to the political bureaucracy. Michael Woo, at the very least, deserves credit for that.

BRUCE JUENGER Palm Spring