Discrimination in Housing

* In response to your editorial, “Opening Doors, Renting to All,” June 23:

Your editorial only mentioned discrimination against “minorities.” It is a disservice not to include the possible discrimination against a non-minority when a landlord or manager is a minority. I speak from personal experience. I lived in an apartment for 15 years in the Rampart area of Los Angeles until the building was purchased by a woman of a “minority” race. She immediately started picking on the white tenants and finally served eviction on them because she “wanted to rent to her relatives.” I found out later that my apartment was not rented by any relative of the landlord, but was rented to a tenant of her same nationality.

So let’s be fair in editorials and include possible discrimination against non-minorities also. Discrimination comes in all colors and races. And by the way, if you lump all the minorities together in Los Angeles, they are now the majority.

LINDA LAWSON

Van Nuys

* I agree with the law against discrimination and followed its practices before it became law. However, I do not agree with governmental prosecution. I experienced one lawsuit, a farce, under the Unruh Act, which I won hands-down but at expense to both the insurance company and myself.

Your last sentence states, “The only indisputable test in the rental housing market is whether the tenant can pay the rent.” I would like to bring to your attention that there are two more important tests to come before affordable. Will the tenant be a good tenant and neighbor, quiet and orderly? And is the apartment the right size for the prospective occupants? Then comes, can they afford it? If so, sign on the dotted line; we want you.

BETSY MURCHISON

Los Angeles

* The $350,000 settlement you mentioned in the federal government’s housing discrimination case may be the record penalty the government has negotiated in such a case, but our own city’s Westside Fair Housing Council settled a housing discrimination case last year for $450,000. This is one of those “happy ending” stories that seem to get very little media coverage.

MARJORIE L. SCHWARTZ

Los Angeles