Editor:
Here they go again. The Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights-controlled City Council wants to give city staff authority to approve development of a 50-unit low- and extremely-low-income rental housing project with no citizen input.
This proposal is clearly to implement SMRR's election platform for "environmental justice." The proposed ordinance recognizes that a disproportionate burden has been placed on the Pico Neighborhood, i.e. there is a low-income housing project on almost every block, 200 low-income housing units surrounding Edison Elementary School, and shootings and drug use close to the projects. By over concentrating the low-income rental housing projects in the Pico Neighborhood the city has violated the right of equality of minorities by denying them better housing opportunities between Wilshire and San Vicente boulevards. The ordinance will provide the city a method of desegregating the Montana Avenue elementary schools. The SMRR platform exempts 100 percent low-income housing projects from height and density restrictions.
Let's desegregate the area between Wilshire and San Vicente by developing hundreds of high-density, low-income rental housing units there. Please attend the council meeting on Feb. 12 and voice your approval for this proposal.
Art Casillas
Santa Monica
