Letters to the Editor: The racism of Redondo Beach’s anti-growth political leadership
June 6, 2013
I find it hard to believe that, after all these years of trying to be a part of the growing community of homeowners in Redondo Beach, you are still trying to “protect its image” by labeling our views as racist and anti-growth.
We are not the enemy. We are not the problem. We are not the ones who keep the city’s housing development on hold.
In fact, we have been at the forefront of a movement to increase the size and density of our community, which we believe is our right, just like everyone else.
You have been so busy attempting to tarnish our good name you haven’t even taken time to get to know us, our stories or our struggles, including the struggle for affordable housing.
We are a diverse group who look forward to the day when we will finally be accepted and we will be proud to call ourselves Redondo Beach. That day has yet to come. You do know that as the population in the City of Redondo Beach has grown, so have our housing costs.
To you, it seems to be a matter of pride for you to label us and use your “we’ve been marginalized” excuse to hide behind.
I’ve read the “community values” survey and I’m sure you have too.
I’ve listened to your comments on public hearings and I do agree with you that “our community is already overcrowded and too expensive, yet to hear you complain, you have to be part of the problem.”
Your “community values” are out of touch with me and my neighbors, not to mention the residents of our small neighborhoods who struggle every day to pay the high rents that have made us the wealthiest and most developed community in Southern California.
It seems to me the only real difference in our experiences is you and your political machine are willing to use race as a reason to try to stop a vote to increase housing density.
We are Redondo Beach. We are the people who voted to increase housing density, now we will vote out their politicians.
There have been more than one hundred community meetings and protests against the construction of the largest housing project in Redondo Beach history.