Readers React: Mayor Garcetti needs to stop making excuses for his failure to prevent our homelessness crisis
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To the editor: After five years in office, when will Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti take any responsibility for his inability to address the homelessness crisis? (“When L.A. opted to fund city services over housing, did it help fuel a crisis?” April 9)
Garcetti blames the state for eliminating redevelopment agencies, not the fact that as chief executive he failed to prepare for the future by creating a rainy-day fund for the most serious challenge that is eating away at the quality of life here in Los Angeles. Instead of setting aside funds that formerly went to redevelopment agencies for affordable housing, he put them toward the already generous retirements and salaries of city employees.
Now that homelessness is an epidemic, our politically ambitious mayor needs to shed blame for a problem he made worse. For the most part, homeless people do not vote and therefore have no voice in this.
Garcetti’s non-record of fixing homelessness is a classic example of liberal inaction and poor leadership.
Nick Antonicello, Venice
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To the editor: People are getting sick of all the excuses from developers and local politicians for failing to house the needy.
We have been shown how shipping containers, manufactured homes and other cheap and expedient units provide low-cost ways to address this crisis. We’ve seen how abandoned motels can be refurbished for housing.
Hot shot politicians quibble over rules and regulations while, developers figure out how much money they can make from the crisis.
The voters of both the city and county of Los Angeles chose to tax themselves in order to fund a solution. If the politicians want to build high-quality, permanent affordable housing, let them do that for the long term. But for now, get those shipping containers, refurbish those motels, use our public lands and get these people off the streets.
Lillian Laskin, Los Angeles
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