Editor:
Regarding Bill Bauer's column "How diverse do you wanna be?" As diverse as possible.
I agree with Mr. Bauer that the trade off for so called community benefits in development agreements are not worth the traffic and density. 10 low-income apartments for every 40 of market rate units is not enough to justify the consequences. Market rate units are what are driving us away from the economic and racial diversity our city needs to maintain.
But how can Mr. Bauer assume that there is diversity in our city by going to the market, and how can he tell by looking at someone standing in line at the market what income level there at. Black, and Latino families as well as seniors are being displaced regularly due to state laws that allow landlords to evict tenants legally. Come on Bill, you can do better than that.
The real way to build low-income housing is with deed restricted and city funded housing.
How to pay for that housing is the question?
Fees on building permits and parking, taxes on tourist? Any taxes on residents to help build low-income housing should be spread across the board, because everybody benefits from diversity.
Larry Arreola
Santa Monica
