Letters
• 5 Rose Avenue Apartments
- Shirley M. Anderson
• Beach Access for All - C.V.
Beck
5 Rose Avenue
Apartments
Dear
Beachhead,
This letter was sent to our
Councilmember, Bill Rosendahl.
I am
writing to you so that in the future you as my representative may have a window
into the daily life of one of your constituents here in Venice. I am a
30-year-old woman married to a disabled man who still works as an artist. We
chose the building on 5 Rose for serious reasons. I am an epileptic and have not
driven for five years because of uncontrollable seizures. Since I work for Santa
Monica/UCLA Medical Center, I like the accessibility of the public bus system as
much as the affordable rent compared to apartments closer to the hospital. When
my husband was working, he was able to ride his bicycle instead of drive, which
saved on gasoline and other expenses. The building was a community within itself
that offered a neighborly atmosphere as well as security. Overall, the building
made life convenient and comfortable, the things that a home should
be.
Things here have changed. Since the
new owners have taken over, the rent has increased and it has been made clear
that it could rise higher. One of my neighbors has received an eviction notice
after paying rent late, despite a history of timely payment in all previous
months. The lack of understanding during his appeal made it clear that pushing
him and rest of us out was their ultimate goal. Security cameras have been
placed throughout the building and there is a growing sense that we, the
residents, are the ones that are being watched. I have informed all friends and
family not to visit us here at 5 Rose in order to circumvent any possible reason
to find fault with us.
There has
been construction on our building and when another neighbor complained of the
fumes and dust in his apartment, quick retaliation in the form of another
eviction notice came to him for being on the fire escape. If the fire escape is
not safe, is it not a hazard that should be
repaired?
A common area in the building
known as the Recreation Room has been taken away. When we asked for an
explanation in writing, the response was vague and ambiguous. It seems we must
wait until after the holidays to know what the plans for our Recreation Room
are. We are paying for the use of this space and our request for compensation
has been ignored. There was a loading area in the rear of the building that the
tenants used for grocery drop off and 15 minute parking (since parking is such a
hassle in this neighborhood). So many of us are disabled and elderly and it is
impossible to bring a full week’s worth of groceries from two or more
blocks away.
Since the purchase of
the building, however, the space where the manager used to park is now gated off
and therefore she is forced to park in the loading zone. When we addressed this
in our letter to the new owners they asked for make/model and proof of
disability for the tenants who want to park there. Many of us, including myself,
find this request moot. If the manager cannot park where she used to park what
good can come out of supplying a company in Calabasas information about what
kind of vehicle I own?
There have
been an uncommon amount of “inspections” since the building has been
taken over. During the first few months I was dismayed to discover there were
photos taken of the inside of my apartment without my approval. This was during
a time when my husband was dealing with a lot of pain and was under a lot of
prescription medication. I cannot ask legal questions of a patient in the
hospital under the influence, what gives them the right to interrogate him about
our belongings? I was forced to remove a lot of the collectable items that we
own as well as art reference books to appease the utilitarian expectations of
the new owner. The space I pay for is not my own to live in comfort
anymore.
I refuse to leave out of sheer
annoyance. I have been saving for a house so that I can be a homeowner in this
community and if that dream is squashed by this new company’s greed then I
have nothing else keeping me in Venice. If I am evicted then UCLA will lose an
employee and the city will lose a taxpayer and voter. The worst part of it is I
will not be replaced. This building’s future is unclear. What is certain
is the empty apartments in our building are not being filled. I speak with my
neighbors in this community and my situation is not isolated. The middle and low
income professionals are being squeezed out for an enigmatic vacuum of
“luxury” that nobody can afford. As my representative, I am telling
you that is not what I want for this community. I want a neighborhood filled
with real people, not vacant real estate and
LLCs.
Respectfully, Shirley M.
Anderson
-----------
Beach
Access for All
To Beachhead and
Venice Neighborhood
Council:
In
the matter of overnight parking in beach area, it is important to remind people
that the beach belongs to everyone – beach access must not be denied to
anyone, no matter how they might look to
you.
Sincerely,
C.V. Beck, Lincoln Place
Posted: Tue - January 1, 2008 at 04:06 PM
