Letters to the Editor: Mailbag: Rent control, Measure S, parking issues and Hoover High brawl on readers’ minds

Oct. 18, 2018 9:25 PM PT

Glendale, like the rest of California, is choking under a housing crisis. It would be dishonest to disregard the fact that Glendale is facing a potentially disastrous situation. Glendale has glaring rent issues and a rapid turnaround is essential to salvage the situation.

A rent stability ordinance is the ultimate solution for the rent problem. Since some landlords are exploiting legal loopholes, it is only advisable to block their waywardness. Halting them requires legal measures.

The elderly population deserves protection through rent control to save them from institutionalized care, and the young working population needs protection as well.

A blanket figure of a maximum of 4% annual increase is a reasonable middle ground for all stakeholders. If rent control is in place, Glendale residents will feel proud of their city. Their economic welfare will improve as a result of affordable housing.

Shelter remains a basic need. It is only logical to disallow manipulation of rental rates by unethical landlords.

Meghrik Yenoki

Glendale

There are many problems in this city, but one of the main issues is that rents for apartments and houses are very high. There is no rent control in this city.

Every day we see buildings created and new stores opening. All this activity has an effect on rent prices and retail prices. Every month, refugees arrive in this city from foreign countries. They find high rents and can’t afford a place to live.

This denies the dignity and worth of every individual. We are headed down the wrong path, and I hope we can change directions. Why does this city have such high rents?

Reneh Bughusians

Glendale

In the past I have lived in a large metropolitan city on the East Coast with rent control laws. Rent control does not help anyone on a fixed income, as while the rent may remain stabilized the residential buildings begin a deterioration process due to lack of income for the investor/owners. Eventually, over time, rent control leads to slums and ghettos. There is no incentive for land owners to invest in properties when there are inadequate monies derived from rentals to be utilized for updating properties.

The proposed rent control ordinance is seriously flawed, and over time Glendale property values will be reduced and whole neighborhoods will become unkempt and uninviting.

I am not a landlord, but I have been a resident homeowner in this city for many years. All City Council members should keep in mind that owning investment property is a privilege, not a right. In order for buildings to be maintained and updated, landlords need to earn some profit so their buildings and the tenants living in them are proud of their space. Being a landlord is a business just like owning a hair salon or a car dealership.

Please vote NO on rent control.

Ann M. Segal

Glendale

In regard to letter writer Doug List’s comment in the Oct. 13 Mailbag regarding the new Laemmle Theatre in Glendale, I would like to add the following.

I went to the theater to see a film last week. I inquired about parking. The clerk told me they don’t validate. I mentioned the parking lot on Orange and California streets, where I ended up parking. They do offer theater validation. I mentioned that prospect to him. He said they have tried and are “working on it,” but so far have not been able to negotiate anything.

So not only are their film choices limited, so are the parking options — none! Hardly an incentive to visit the new theater.

Patricia Tyson

Glendale

At Glendale Community College students have a couple of school parking lots where they are allowed to park if they have a valid parking permit. The parking permit costs $75 for the spring and fall semesters and $45 for the winter and summer intersession. You’ll get a ticket if you park without a permit.

But even purchasing a permit does not guarantee you will find a parking spot. Daily, students struggle to find parking, particularly when attending their afternoon classes. This forces them to come to campus much earlier than necessary just to secure a parking spot.

Students not only have to pay for valid parking permits during the semesters, but they also have to sacrifice extra time they could spend sleeping or studying to come to school earlier to find a good parking spot. The city lot located right across from school looks like great extra parking, but unfortunately, has meters that cost $1 an hour. Five hours of class daily means there goes your money.

Natalie Amargousian

Glendale

Due to the 2008 economic collapse, Glendale’s city employee numbers are currently down by 407. Even with the city’s and employees’ good intentions and efforts, the complete spectrum of important services has suffered disturbingly. The loss of many police officers and firefighters is reflected in inadequate traffic monitoring and reduction of more timely responses to other problems.

Who hasn’t noticed a slippage in the predictability and timeliness of the essential services of street cleaning, trash pickup, graffiti removal, infrastructure repair, permit and inspection services, and the severe hits to library and parks services?

All this and a growing budget deficit has led to Measure S’s proposed sales tax of 10.25%, an increase of 0.75% which will remain here for the city’s expenses. A valid concern is, “Why no sunset clause?” La Mirada did that, but after their “sunset,” Measure H mandated an increase back to 10.25%, with none of that increase remaining for city use.

It’s realistic to realize that L.A. County is an expensive place to live and operate a city. In all of California, 16 cities have either 10% or 10.25% sales tax. All of them are in L.A. County.

Sure, no one relishes increased sales taxes, but I’d sure like a return to the pre-2008 services our city provided.

Ronald Brusha

Glendale

You have insulted me. The “you” I am referring to is Hoover High principal Jennifer Earl, Glendale Unified School District Supt. Winfred B. Robinson and school board president Greg Krikorian.

There is no denying a brawl took place at Hoover High School. Hundreds of people saw it from beginning to end. Dozens of police officers responded and took reports. Football coaches were placed on some sort of leave. Football games were canceled. Discipline was meted out and yet there is no definitive answer about what actually caused the “brawl” or who was involved.

Was a special needs student being harassed? If so, who was doing the harassing? Were football coaches and players involved in the “brawl”? Were there threats on social media directed at non-Armenian students?

I fully understand no names of minors will be made public, but certainly more in-depth answers should be forthcoming.

The Hoover High School Parent Teacher Assn. meeting covered in Wednesday’s News-Press sounds like it was a politically correct CYA.

I have had three children go through Keppel, Toll and Hoover and I deserve to know what really happened and why. Just give us the facts. Tell us the truth.

Jim Kussman

Glendale