PUBLIC FORUM.

Neighbors' choices

Re ``Much ado from McMansions'' (Viewpoint, Aug. 14):

The Valley has always been known for its individuality. If a homeowner paints his home and fencing grape purple, neighbors howl and complain. If a homeowner builds a castle, the same result. In fact, two such homes stand unobtrusively on Chandler Boulevard today - no complaints. If someone builds an architectural monstrosity (in terms of style and size), neighbors will complain.

If the city has approved the plans and issued a certificate of occupancy, it will stand out like a sore thumb in an area where it looks more like a warehouse than a single-family home. The neighbors' choices are: complain, move away, or get used to it.

- Sol Taylor

Sherman Oaks

Mansion intervention

Re ``Much ado from McMansions'' (Viewpoint, Aug. 14):

As a Valley Village resident for 27-plus years, there can be little question to me that removing a single-family home on a double lot and replacing it with four two-story, 2,700-square-foot dwellings is detrimental to the neighborhood for a variety of apparent reasons.

Our passion (and fear) toward aborting this trend was demonstrated three years ago when the home next door went on the market. We value our privacy and characteristics of the block, so we purchased the home ourselves to prevent any potential molestation of our personal space. This issue definitely requires government intervention.

- Mindy Tennen

Valley Village

Affordable housing

Re ``Much ado from McMansions'' (Viewpoint, Aug. 14):

I strongly disagree with Charlotte Lewis' position that local governments should not adopt regulations preventing mansionization. She seems to think that such regulations are only for aesthetic reasons; however, there is a more important reason for such regulation and that is to preserve affordable housing. Because most existing housing has significantly less square footage than can built on the lot, it is much less expensive than the typical spec house built to the limits of the zoning regulations.

Mansionization ordinances reduce the incentive to demolish such housing and thus the housing is more affordable for lower- and middle-income families. Moreover, such regulations also provide more light and air and improve the quality of life for not only the occupants but also the neighborhood.

- Jack Allen

Pacific Palisades 

Childless, not childish

Re ``End this dance'' and ``Demeaning son's death'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 15):

Cindy Sheehan's grief over her son's death is neither childish nor left-wing antiwar activism. Roger Olsen blames Michael Moore, but Moore did not start this war. The president is still the president even on vacation and he has been on vacation a lot since becoming president. All she asked for was one hour of his time. He could have stopped and spoken to her when he passed her on his way to a Republican fundraiser. As a mother who had an 18-year-old son on the USS New Jersey in Beirut under Ronald Reagan, I can understand Sheehan's grief. Until you walk in Sheehan's shoes, don't paint her actions as childish or left-wing antiwar activist. She is a mother who has lost her son.

- Brynie Brackin

Pacoima

Talk is cheap

Leading Democrats should show some spunk and put their bodies where their mouths are by joining Cindy Sheehan's encampment in Crawford. Otherwise, all they're doing is exactly what they accuse the president of doing. Talk is cheap.

- Hal Rothberg

Calabasas

Unions are anti-taxpayer

Re ``Round one: Unions 1, Arnold, 0,'' (Viewpoint, Aug. 14):

Domenico Maceri says that ``When wages rise for workers, more disposable income is available to buy goods and services that companies sell.'' This was the economic understanding of Herbert Hoover. It did not work out well for him. When Franklin Roosevelt continued with the same idea, there was still 20 percent unemployment in 1938.

Only the wage freeze and inflation of World War II drove real wages down to where full employment was possible. Thus, unemployment in 1947 was 3.9 percent, even with military demobilization, the end of the war industries, and otherwise minimal federal spending. But California public employee unions no longer exist to stick it to the capitalists, just the taxpayers.

- Kelley L. Ross

Sherman Oaks