Affordable Housing

In response to “Housing for Those Most in Need,” editorial, May 13:

Housing for those most in need already exists in ample supply. It is occupied by those next most in need. And so upward the housing ladder is the sometimes real, always ideal story of living in Los Angeles. But break any rung on the housing ladder, then the climb becomes too difficult for too many.

The Los Angeles City Council, spearheaded by Joel Wachs and Ernani Bernardi in the late 1970s, broke a rung on the housing ladder. Rent stabilization, vacancy control, business expense de-legitimization, Warner Ridge-like rezoning and extortionate anti-sales regulations broke the housing rung constituted by many apartment buildings and most mobile home parks.

To get rid of housing shortages, get rid of city ordinances that cause the shortages! In June the City Council will review--assess the damage of--rent stabilization and vacancy control. Let’s see if it has finally understood that from bad housing laws nothing good comes.

GILBERT S. GETLIN

Sherman Oaks