Embarrassing, Negative Tone and No More Spin

May 28, 2003

Dear Editor,

I have been complaining about the condition of the Promenade for years. (“Showdown Over Center Court,” May 26)

It is embarrassing to bring Friends and Family to shop in Santa Monica. Consequently, I drive visitors to the Grove, Century City, Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza, Topanga Plaza or any shopping area that is SAFE, CLEAN and PLEASANT.

My husband and I had occasion to stay at the Georgian Hotel for the weekend in April. I wasn't surprised when we walked to the Promenade during the evening to see vagrants step out of the shadows along the way to ask for money. It happened numerous times each evening.

It is embarrassing trying to explain the state of Santa Monica to out of town guests. Try walking guests through the park on Ocean Avenue and see how many times you have to explain the condition of the park and the vagrants that are there.

It isn't pleasant and our friends and relatives can't understand why we still live here. I'm beginning to wonder myself.

Sincerely

Barbara O'Meara
(60 year resident)

May 28, 2003

Dear Editor,

I am writing as a participant in the Architectural Review Board hearing on Community Corporation's proposed housing at Main and Pacific in Ocean Park. (“Design Board Tweaks Affordable Housing Project,” May 21)

The story on this meeting carried a negative tone that as an observer I did not find pervasive at the meeting. Generally the pro and con remarks on the project were about equal, and the ARB made suggestions for improvements which CCSM responded to positively.

In the story, these are all weighted with negative and subjective language: “The outcome is a sure bet.” A commissioner “was not appeased" by a CCSM response.

Why not just include the question and answer without the injected bias? Likewise, if as the story states the proponents and opponents were about equal in number and strength, why did the negative remarks get 11 sentences and the positive ones four?

The position that the story takes, that this is an embattled project heading to appeal, is far afield from an objective accounting of a public hearing. In actuality, the ARB made relatively minor suggestions as to color and materials, adjustments to the retail space, asked for more information, and was largely complimentary of the developer.

The neighborhood group, the Ocean Park Community Organization, of which I am a member and board member, approved this project at the committee level as well as the board level after dozens of meetings and hearing now almost two years of input from neighbors.

As a journalist I know that sexy negative quotes make for more interesting reading, but this is a slant that goes beyond what actually transpired. If you look through the story it is weighted clearly to a bias. I would urge you to do so, look through it.

The opening paragraph, the first quote, the public testimony, the closing statement, all are weighted to the negative. This doesn't fairly reflect the tone of the meeting I attended, at all.

Susan Love Loughmiller

May 28, 2003

Dear Editor,

The letter from Joan Ling, executive director of Community Corp. of Santa Monica is a spin. (“LETTERS: Triumphs and Tragedies,” May 28)

Ling’s head-in-the sand attitude toward the criminal activity that occurs in and around many of the city’s low-income projects does nothing to make them safer and further endangers tenant and neighbor alike. Requests by me to CCSM to report all crimes to the police and fire department have always been ignored.

Since the May 1, 1998 grand opening of my new building, I have been a tenant in a very low-income CCSM building. I’ve seen for myself the criminal and anti-social behavior perpetrated by some of my fellow tenants and their visitors.

Joan Ling knows that since 1998, the Santa Monica Police Department has compiled several hundred typed pages of crime incidents. Most of the crimes have gone unreported by the owner and by the tenants. The SWAT team has been at my building a couple of times.

Housing director Mr. Bob Moncrief, CCSM and the City Council refuse to admit the official HUD Crossfire Report, which says massive criminal activity comes with residents of publicly funded low income housing.

Joan Ling needs to get out of the spin zone when she speaks or writes.

Pro Se
Santa Monica