Low-income residents helped by moratorium

Re “Bucking responsibility,” editorial, May 15

The Times ignored a few facts underlying last week’s unanimous City Council vote to enact a moratorium on the demolition or conversion of the city’s residential hotels. The Times claims that this action hurts “private citizens” who can’t cash in on the downtown gentrification frenzy. What about the 13,500 low-cost hotel residents (also private citizens) for whom a small room at a relatively high rent is the housing of last resort?

Nonprofit organizations have already preserved thousands of units in formerly decrepit residential hotels in downtown and elsewhere in the city to make them available to our fellow citizens who are low-income, disabled and formerly homeless. We should do more.

MIKE ALVIDREZ

Executive Director, Skid Row Housing Trust

Los Angeles