Councilman and Staff Take It to the Streets

Re “City Hall Takes Off on Summer Vacation,” Aug. 18:

While other City Council members vacation, “Councilman Jack Weiss said he’s going to take his staff on a daylong bus tour of his district.” Lucky district. Weiss and his staff will see the district’s needs. If all council members, new and old, would do the same, slumlords couldn’t hide. Owners and managers of apartments and businesses wouldn’t let graffiti stay on walls. Sidewalks and pavements would get repaired. Owners of vacant lots would keep them cleared of weeds and trash. City trees would get trimmed.

Council members and their staffs would see the dire need for affordable housing and would work with groups to rehabilitate and convert empty buildings into apartments. They’d see where overcrowded conditions are breeding grounds for crime. They’d see that most children who live in apartments have no place to play, that green spaces are needed in so much of L.A.

Damiana Chavez

Los Angeles