Letters to the Editor: If allowing more apartments isn’t the right housing solution, what is?

Re: the “Would you stop copying Glendale?!” editorial cartoon, Nov. 23: The cartoon shows a man shouting to the city of Burbank while the background is filled with luxury apartments, new apartments and mixed-use apartments. Apparently the angry Burbank resident depicted in the artwork does not want to see apartments built in Burbank.

We should not forget that cities in California, including Burbank, copied the suburban housing model that swept the nation after World War II. Now, after 70 years, this suburban housing model is still the norm. This is tragic because the suburban housing model with its single-use occupancy zoning and its disproportionate land use allocation to single-family detached housing has created an affordable housing shortage.

Saying “no” to apartment building should come with a solution to our housing shortage. What is to be done to increase our supply of homes? One solution is to expand mixed-use occupancy zones and apartment building because apartments are the most efficient use of space for housing, and mixed-use occupancy zones reduce car dependency, air pollution and environmental degradation.

Albric Ghokasian
Burbank

***

The letter published in the Nov. 14 Mailbag with Mr. Berger’s comments about what Councilman Tim Murphy wore to a Veterans Day ceremony is another example of preference of style over substance.

What defines us as human being is definitely not how we look and what we wear . Tim Murphy has always exemplified humanity and compassion, especially when it comes to pressing human issues such as poverty, homelessness, respecting diversity and celebrating differences among our residents in Burbank.

We need to stretch our comfort zone to accept people’s choices including the choice of clothes we wear. Let’s be mindful about comments that can be read as forcing our way of doing things on others.

George Saikali
Burbank