Letters to editor: We need better than Edison; renters shouldn't be penalized
Power shutoff was unnecessary
Re: your Nov. 27 story, “Thousands left with no power on holiday”:
I am outraged to read that Southern California Edison again shut off power for tens of thousands of customers in Ventura County on Thanksgiving Day, although no wildfires were reported. With a turkey in the oven and guests visiting for a traditional dinner, these people were left without any help (not to speak of a spoiled dinner!).
It seems that the slightest breeze, including wind gusts that are common in California winters, now prompts a sudden shutoff without any warning. We had the same situation in Thousand Oaks last week. This is probably due to Edison’s old and outdated equipment, which should have been updated years ago and I see no sign that this is being done. Instead of charging outrageous fees that keeps getting up every month, efforts should be made to avoid these planned shutoffs to repair their compromised cables or put them under ground. It really feels that we are living in a third world country.
Ventura County urgently needs another power company that really cares about their customers; obviously Edison does not. They also do not credit their consumers for the loss of electricity which in some cases lasts more than 24 hours.
Shame on you, Edison.
Jutta McLean, Thousand Oaks
Rent prices shouldn’t be capped
Re: Maricela Morales’ Nov. 28 guest column, “We need to talk about rent stabilization”:
Ms. Morales writes that high rents are pushing people out of their homes and that rent increases should be capped at 2% a year.
Yes, housing is necessary, like food and utilities. But if someone cannot afford food or utilities, should grocery stores and utilities be made to cap price increases to 2% a year? Or how about provide free food and utilities? During COVID, we rental owners were forced to provide free housing to all our tenants.
I own a rental house in another state. My taxes, insurance, and repair costs on that house go up way more than 2% a year. Does Morales think I should just absorb that? Does she get to choose how much I make?
During COVID, I could not evict a nonpaying tenant for many months. In fact, the eviction courts simply closed for months, even for owners trying to evict for reasons unrelated to rent. I had to continue to maintain and pay expenses on this property with no rental income. My tenant moved all his extended family into the house, and I could do nothing about it. I finally got them all out, and he left owing over $22,000 in unpaid rent and damage to the house. And Morales thinks my rent should be capped? Yes, it is regrettable when people are unable to afford rent. But I always thought the government seizing private property (our rental income and properties) was something Russia would do, not the U.S.
Landlords should not be forced to provide housing for those who cannot afford a rental. The government should be leasing up all the low-cost motels and turning them into transitional housing to keep people off the street. They should lease abandoned retail buildings and create shelters. Rental owners have been abused enough.
Alison Carlson, Ventura
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: We need better than Edison; renters shouldn't be penalized
