Our Readers Write: Housing density; worriers

Senate Bill 10’s housing density will be damaging to San Diego

Regarding the article in the La Jolla Light on June 8: (“La Jollans join opposition to including Senate Bill 10 in planned San Diego housing package”):

Though the preservation of historic sites is, of course, an important aspect of this ill-conceived statewide law, an equal if not more detrimental effect of Senate Bill 10 will be to allow a massive increase of density of San Diego residential neighborhoods (“What’s in San Diego’s sweeping new housing package? Higher density, a controversial state law and a lot more,” La Jolla Light, May 25).

The bill opens the door to an incredible increase of multiple-unit housing (up to 10 units per lot) in any residential neighborhood that lies within one mile of transit (like a bus stop). That means a developer could buy your neighbor’s property and put up 10 rental units on that lot if your home lies within one mile of public transportation!

Presumably this will allow people to walk to a bus stop within one mile of their property and reduce the number of automobiles on the roads.

Studies have already shown that citizens will not walk any more than a half-mile to a bus stop. That extra half-mile will allow thousands and thousands of new residential units to be built in neighborhoods, increasing San Diego’s housing density dramatically.

If we don’t rise up and stop this poorly written and crazily conceived idea, San Diego will forever be transformed for the worse.

Keith Kelman

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Those who are about to worry, I salute you

I am a loyal reader and supporter of the La Jolla Light. I so appreciate the local coverage and smart reporting.

But I must admit, reading the column “Let Inga Tell You,” with her witty and relatable takes on life, is a highlight.

Her column last week really made me feel seen (“Being the family worrier is a tough job, but someone has to do it,” June 15).

She is right — every family needs a worrier. It is a tough job, and indeed, someone has to do it. Otherwise, passports would never be renewed on time, the mail would be delivered during vacation and our identity possibly stolen, we would have run out of toilet paper had we not stocked up pre-pandemic in case of an earthquake, and we would not have already owned several boxes of masks and air cleaners in case of a wildfire jumping the 5 freeway.

Thank you, Inga. You are really a treasure!

Jeri Feldman

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What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in the La Jolla Light express views from readers about community matters. Submissions of related photos also are welcome. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. Letters are subject to editing. To share your thoughts in this public forum, email them with your first and last names and city or neighborhood of residence to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. You also can submit a letter online at lajollalight.com/submit-a-letter-to-the-editor. The deadline is 10 a.m. Monday for publication in that week’s paper. Letters without the writer’s name cannot be published. Letters from the same person are limited to one in a 30-day period. See the full policy at lajollalight.com/policy. ◆