New housing in your backyard

Re “The desperate fight for homeless housing,” editorial, Feb. 27

Yes, NIMBYism regarding permanent supportive housing for homeless people will require bold corrective action.

Brentwood and Pacific Palisades are ideal locations in which to build such housing. Both have great retail areas, and the quality schools would serve the formerly homeless children well. Most important, these two wealthy neighborhoods could set an example for the rest of the city.

Start with a modest 600 units each, equally divided between mentally ill persons, the elderly, parents with children, veterans, drug addicts in treatment and young single men who are homeless for other reasons. Build and open such housing in these communities first, despite resistance from the locals.

When wealthy enclaves shoulder their fair share, the folks in other areas will be more welcoming of new supportive housing in their neighborhoods. Anyone have any better ideas to turn the NIMBY tide? Rob Dean

Los Angeles

My fellow apartment owners need to be part of the solution.

One of the least expensive ways to house homeless people is with rent subsidies. With the average cost to build a new “affordable” unit at about $500,000, the lower cost of rent subsidies can help a lot more people get off the street and rent an apartment today.

The good news is that Measure H, the quartercent sales tax hike passed in 2017, carves out some of the revenue it raises to cover rent subsidies for individuals who will receive social services while living in market-rate apartments.

Now it’s up to my fellow landlords to step up and join me in accepting L.A. County homeless applicants. Dan Tenenbaum

Los Angeles The writer is chairmanelect of the California Apartment Assn. of Los Angeles.

Every community — and every government — has a responsibility to deal with homelessness, not only to serve those who live on the street, but also to help the housed residents of Los Angeles who see their neighborhoods degrade from the grim sites, horrific smells and encampment sprawl.

For homeless veterans, the federal government owns 388 acres of land in the heart of West Los Angeles that was deeded for the specific purpose of housing. That land is the Department of Veterans Affairs campus on Wilshire and Sepulveda boulevards.

The VA has promised to build 1,200 supportive housing units on the property for homeless veterans who fought for their country. Many have mental and physical disabilities connected to their service. That land is the single biggest opportunity for homeless housing in L.A. County.

Thanks to years of advocacy, this project appears to have political and community support. But with a 57% spike in veteran homelessness last year, the federal government must act quickly. Jesse Creed

Los Angeles The writer is executive director of the group Vets Advocacy.

Why can’t we build housing based on college dormitories?

This type of housing would be adaptable for those who need support services. Bathrooms and kitchens down the hall might not be optimal, but would at least provide access at decreased cost and be a heck of a lot better than living in tents on the street.

Reading about Los Angeles’ city-owned parking lots as sites for housing, I would suggest this as an option for new building. Susan Chorpenning

Altadena

On a recent rainy morning, I passed a homeless man standing next to a soaking bedroll near a freeway offramp giving all of us in warm cars his middle finger. An hour later, I passed again, the man and his finger still erect.

If we don’t do more than pass Measure H, renounce NIMBYism and prod our politicians to action, then we deserve his gesture. Linda Fell

Long Beach