Cities have courts in housing control fight

Re. “Poll shows resistance to more housing,” Page A1, Oct. 3:

What the poll misses is the right of minority families to also own single-family homes and build generational wealth.

The density plans create a permanent renter class. New laws encourage gentrification; low-income and people of color are moved out of neighborhoods into massive rentals, as a small percentage attached to more profitable building projects. Developers can leverage density and low-income percentages to their advantage.

Without state subsidies, low-income housing is dwarfed in a for-profit system, no matter how draconian the punishments.

Pushback against high RHNA demanding at least 40% market-rate units is growing. The numbers failed state audit, yet are recklessly applied as if all towns are the same.

Many organizations that support low-income housing reject state takeover of local zoning and the strike force that punishes cities into submission, based on performance of for-profit developers.

Cities do have an option: represent their constituents by joining SB 9 and HCD/RHNA lawsuits.

— Amy Kalish, Mill Valley

Chavez’s record doesn’t justify becoming mayor

San Jose voters have elected more females to public office than any other big city in our nation. They were elected based on their achievements, not their gender. Cindy Chavez’s political record doesn’t match up.

She boasts about her tenure on the VTA Board, but it’s the worst-performing transit agency in the nation. As Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors president, she has failed to resolve the homeless problem. The county’s Housing Department recently lost $12.75 million by buying, then selling an ill-considered new headquarters building — a 34.4% decline in property value.

Chavez initially opposed Laura’s Law (to treat the worst mentally ill homeless) but had no plan of her own. She voted to gerrymander county district one stealing the vote of 20,000 South San Jose voters. She’s the classic old-style politician. As an informed voter and a woman, I’m voting for Matt Mahan. I hope you will, too.

— Sandra Delvin, San Jose

Tougher laws won’t stop gun violence

I am responding to Brian McCormick’s letter about gun violence (“Tougher laws would halt gun violence,” Page A16, Oct. 2). It displays that he lives in a fantasy world.

He wants to pass laws to punish those possessing unregistered guns. How does anyone know who has an unregistered gun? They are unregistered. Ridiculous and already illegal.

He wants to punish felons who possess guns. Again, how would anyone know? Felons don’t advertise that they have guns. Ridiculous and already illegal.

He thinks that new tough laws will deter crime. As if criminals and gang members care about the law. He makes the mistake of thinking that an irrational person will behave rationally. They don’t, that’s why they are irrational.

The way to reduce gun violence is by treating mental illness and reducing poverty. When mentally ill people take their medication they behave rationally. When people have a job and can pay their bills, they don’t resort to crime.

— Gill Thornbush, San Jose

Switch to EVs is tough but necessary

Re. “Heading to the endangered list?” Page A1, Oct. 6:

The front-page article in the Oct. 6 issue of The Mercury News reminds us that the transition to electric vehicles is requiring the infrastructure for fueling vehicles to be entirely transformed.

Technical advances often produce disruptions that are costly at the beginning as well as less convenient. Henry Ford reduced the cost of motor cars, but it took many years to have fueling stations in place so that most people could benefit from this revolution in transportation.

Electric motors are mechanically simpler than internal combustion systems. The cost of maintenance is less. Battery advancements are already extending the range for EVs beyond 300 miles and will eventually reach distances that are more than most people want to drive in one day. And these advantages are on top of the advantage of no carbon emissions.

Simply stated, EVs are a much better alternative to gasoline-powered cars. We must do this change.

— Rob Hogue, Menlo Park

Column fails to note advantages of males

David Brooks is someone I usually agree with. However, “In U.S. and across the globe, boys and men are struggling” (Page A17, Oct. 2) seems wrong on many fronts.

Brooks’ boo hoo for men and boys ignores the fact that girls and women have had huge obstacles to overcome for centuries, and some of the best female minds have gone to waste. Now, when the male thumb is finally partly lifted, these females are starting to show what they can do, while men, me included, seem to be content to sit back and rest on centuries of privilege. Perhaps women are better at focus and dedication.

I am more than willing to pass the leadership torch to our deserving women.

— Meade Fischer, Soquel