Needs and risks of affordable housing

Re “Measure H: Why waste a Frappuccino?,” Opinion, Oct. 31

Joseph Mailander finds the Proposition H campaign “annoying.” But while he may be bothered by the discussion, the lack of affordable housing is much more than simply irritating to thousands of people in Los Angeles, including many of the families served by Para Los Ninos.

Para Los Ninos provides educational and social services to more than 3,000 children each day. We know firsthand that just as children can’t learn if they are hungry or have vision problems, the safety, cleanliness and quality of where children sleep at night also dramatically affect their capacity to do well in school and in life. New, affordable housing stock, including apartment units and permanent supportive housing for the homeless, is a critical infrastructure need in Los Angeles.

GISSELLE ACEVEDO

Los Angeles

The writer is president and chief executive of Para Los Ninos.

*

Re “Affordable housing bond asks voters for their vision of L.A.,” Nov. 1

With the cost of real estate and rentals hovering in the stratosphere here in Southern California, I asked several people what they thought of the proposed affordable housing, with the picture of Broadway Village II as an example. Here were some of their comments:

“Oh, is that a prison?”

“What are those kids doing in that detention center?”

“A billion dollars and they can’t afford a single blade of grass?”

If this stark, desolate, unforgiving architecture is the best we can do for housing the poor, shame on Los Angeles.

MONICA DE VARGAS

Venice