Early Better Than Late

Regarding that proposed ballot initiative to limit commercial development in select areas of Los Angeles, as proposed by Councilmen Zev Yaroslovsky and Marvin Braude, Sam Hall Kaplan wrote: “Better late than never.”

But early still would have been much better. And it could have been much earlier.

In 1980, we lived at 10430 Wilshire Blvd., the site on which the Mirabella now stands. We--all the tenants occupying the more than 30 apartments--suddenly received eviction notices. We were informed that the buildings (there were more than one) were sold and would be torn down and that a high-rise would be built on the site.

I called Yaroslovsky’s office to ask their help to prevent this--to see if there was any way of stopping the sudden eviction of so many people, the majority of whom were senior citizens.

The lady I spoke to in his office said she would look into it. Then she called me to say, “It’s progress. You can’t stop progress.”

Now, six years later, Yaroslovsky is attempting to stop what he then said he couldn’t stop.

That’s what I call 20-20 vision--backwards.

I guess there’s more “Sturm und Drang” now, and he doesn’t want to lose so many votes.

JOSEPH HOFFMAN

Los Angeles