Poverty in the Northeast Valley

* Re “A Portrait of Need; Poverty in the Northeast Valley,” Aug. 27-29.

The recent series of articles on conditions in the northeast San Fernando Valley comes as no surprise. In listening to commentary on talk shows, I heard of an organization dedicated to raising the minimum wage to accommodate primarily the dominant group, Latino families with from two to eight or more children.

Arguments relating to responsibility for this flood of humanity, through immigration or otherwise, touched on basic human rights to have children, whether or not the parents can provide shelter, food, clothing, education and medical care for them. Essentially, the founder of this organization seems to feel that employers should be responsible for supplementing the income level of these people. Their plight, she stated, is the result of having been brought up in large families and the opposition of their church to birth control, on the assumption, I gather, that “God will provide.” The immediate problem, she feels, should be addressed not by God but by the employers, many of whom are, in her opinion, disgustingly wealthy.

Since we can’t stem the tide of immigration, sterilize the immigrant population or control the sex drive, we are left with only one source of immense wealth, and the only one bearing any responsibility for this calamity. In most cases, the needed subsidy should come from the Catholic church.

KENNETH L. MORRIS

Reseda

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Why doesn’t the government place a moratorium on immigration until our infrastructure can catch up? Or better yet, why doesn’t the U.S. government provide foreign aid to Mexico and Central America (the origin of most immigrants, according to your article) so people can remain in their homelands? Most people are forced to emigrate for economic reasons.

In the meantime, open spaces in California are shrinking. From 1982 to 1992 Los Angeles County lost 42% of its farmland while Orange County lost 63%.

Every person added to the state will cost $17,377 in infrastructure. This cost does not include police, corrections and solid waste disposal.

Lastly, during the 1990s, over 80% of California’s growth was from immigration and births to migrant women. In 30 years, California will be as densely populated as China is now.

Is this what the people of California want?

ROKHSAN TAHERPOUR

Tarzana

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It doesn’t seem so much that there is no affordable housing as there are just too many people.

When any kind of housing is scarce, landlords don’t have any incentive to lower rents or mortgages to fill their vacancies. Buildings unfit for habitation are at a premium. Construction materials aren’t getting any cheaper. We’re hearing now about the rates for natural gas and heating oil going up, and we’re already using recycled water. There was never a guarantee of unlimited resources for whoever wanted them. Now the reality of things to come because of overpopulation is finally hitting home . . . so to speak.

REGAN DuCASSE

North Hollywood

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Since when does a person’s income level determine the housekeeping habits they have? Some of the worst slobs I know have six-figure incomes whereas some of the cleanest and tidiest are people who are barely above or at poverty level. Perhaps these low-income people with bad housekeeping habits are too tired to practice good ones after spending the day (earning minimum wages) cleaning the houses of higher-income people so they don’t have to worry about their housekeeping habits.

Betty Ju should feel ashamed for making such an outrageous, insulting, derogatory and, yes, stereotypical statement.

SHARON SOSA

Saugus

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The substandard living conditions in the northeast San Fernando Valley, although seemingly unsurmountable, have given rise to a number of organizations dedicated to helping those residents upon whom desperate times have fallen.

MEND--Meet Each Need with Dignity--has served the northeast Valley since 1971. MEND is a volunteer-driven organization that provides food, clothing, furniture, medical and dental care, English as a second language classes, computer classes and job training and placement assistance at no cost to clients. MEND’s goal is not only to provide the basic human needs, but also to enable clients to better themselves through education to break out of the cycle of poverty.

Last year, approximately 1,200 volunteers donated 59,152 hours of their time, [and] MEND served 289,000 individuals, 10% more than in the previous year. The need for volunteers is greater now than at any other time. I urge you to join us by calling MEND at (818) 896-0246.

RICHARD MARIAS

President, MEND

Pacoima