A callous view of real estate woes

Re “After the pop,” Opinion, May 20

Daniel Gross’ Op-Ed is a classic example of the class-blindness of the conservative mind. Gross claims that a silver lining of revitalized infrastructure and consumer-friendly websites not only make all the foreclosures, bankruptcies and unemployment palatable, but actually beneficial in the long run.

Such callous disregard for the short- and long-term suffering of those who bought into the bubble is bad enough. What is truly galling is the utter obliviousness of this market-based myth for the masses of renters who couldn’t afford a house even before the bubble, who since have been forced out of their apartments by condo conversions and who face extortionate rents. The Times reported recently that of the estimated 35,000 homeless in Orange County, more than half are members of working families with children. Is there a silver lining in those rows of cardboard lean-tos, Mr. Gross?

VINCENT BROOK

Los Angeles