Affordable Housing

* Larry Gross states (letter, Aug. 14) that rent increases should be lowered, maintenance requirements strengthened and health codes should be enforced with severe penalties. How does he expect the landlord to afford to pay for all of this? Will he make the insurance companies lower their rates, and will he make DWP hold the line on its increases? How about the tenants that tear up apartments; will he be willing to levy severe penalties when they don’t pay rent or when they destroy the apartment?

The unfortunate truth is that housing is a business. The landlord has to make a fair rate of return for this effort. Health codes and maintenance should be strengthened. Hold the renters responsible for their actions too.

I am on the board of directors for an affordable housing corporation in Hollywood. There is no money available to build enough affordable housing. What Gross is asking for is that mom-and-pop landlords provide housing for poor people. Why should they--there is nothing in it for them. Gross should be out looking for sources of funding for housing rather than confiscating profits of hard-working investors. Investors are providing housing but it takes money to maintain and build it.

ROBERT L. MICHLER

Los Angeles