Add More Housing on Abandoned Streets

“Renters Serve Notice to Landlords” (April 5) indicates that AB 2330 would allow “tenants who are charged two months’ rent as a security deposit to pay in installments” and that “tenants who have lost their jobs would be able to use part of their security deposit as an emergency rent payment.” What part of “security deposit” does Assemblywoman Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) not understand?

Once a tenant has moved in, the prepaid security deposit is the major measure of insurance the owner has that the tenants will abide by their agreement. It is also an offset against the potential of lost rent and significant damages that do occur. Passage of AB 2330 would only accelerate the disappearance of affordable housing.

Victor N. Viereck

North Hollywood

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Every month, housing grows more and more unaffordable in Los Angeles. At the same time, congestion on the freeways and surface streets grows, and pressure to develop such wilderness areas as the Ahmanson Ranch continues. Yet there are vast, yawning stretches of ugly and abandoned streets where new residential development could be built.

I am speaking of Van Nuys Boulevard, north of Vanowen Street. This area could accommodate dozens of perhaps 10-story-high residential buildings. The road could be landscaped with trees, and a depressing and ugly section of the San Fernando Valley would be brought back to life. The same could be said for Sherman Way east of Coldwater Canyon and Vineland Avenue north of Burbank Boulevard. Development should be directed to already-developed areas that are in need of help.

Andrew B. Hurvitz

Van Nuys