Regarding Carol Gross’s suggestion that the Redevelopment Agency is not to blame for failing to build the affordable housing ordered by the state:
So who elected the neighbors?
I have always thought the reason you get elected is to make the tough decisions. It is obvious that the Redevelopment Agency heads were there just to look good and get re-elected.
If every project that came through the pipeline were protested by neighbors due to having an affordable housing component in it, then looking in that rear view mirror tells me that those elected officials bowed to pressure and did not do their jobs.
Period.
Affordable housing does not mean drug addicts, homeless shelters, flop houses.
Reality, folks.
Affordable units in the Westside are $200,000 and up.
So, the failure to build affordable housing rests directly with the five persons acting as the city decision-makers.
If they can't make the decisions, then throw them out and get people in who can.
Because that is what they are elected to do.
And making excuses now that the State lays blame on the cities who have failed to meet their quotas is plain wrong.
The failure to act was a failure to lead.
Mr. Handal may be contacted at sgrest@aol.com
