Readers sound off on enforcing housing policy, a trans icon’s funeral and a Santos suit

All NYC residents deserve a place to call home

Manhattan: Re “NYC needs housing, not lawsuits” (editorial, Feb. 18): While we obviously agree that New York City desperately needs new affordable housing, waiting years for additional units to come online while ignoring the plights of struggling households is apathetic and simply bad policy. Right now, lawmakers must ensure that every household experiencing or on the cusp of homelessness has the means to achieve housing stability.

Most of our clients are long-term, rent-regulated tenants on fixed incomes that don’t cover the rent, and they struggle to stay in their homes. Having these tenants lose their apartments and become homeless is penny-wise and pound-foolish. Preventing homeless households from exiting shelter like Marie Vincent, our named plaintiff, is also fiscally irresponsible because it costs so much to keep her and her grandson languishing in shelter.

Doing nothing in the short-term, which the Daily News is seemingly fine with, would drive thousands of households into our already overburdened shelter system — a complete misuse of precious taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on providing housing-insecure New Yorkers a permanent and self-sustaining path forward.

As the mayor frequently remarks: No one is above the law. When our clients are deprived of the benefits that they would reap from any duly enacted law that an administration refuses to enforce, you can expect us to be in court to hold them to account. Robert Desir, staff attorney, Civil Law Reform Unit, Legal Aid Society

Unruly riders

Manhattan: I read the e-bike safety article twice looking for some sort of indication that there would be enforcement of the traffic rules (“City may ‘deliver’ brand-new agency,” Feb. 18). I didn’t see anything. When are these e-bike riders going to get off of the sidewalks, ride in the designated bike lanes, stop going the wrong way on one-way streets and stop going through red lights? Because of these out-of-control delivery e-bike riders, you have to have eyes in the back of your head. Joie Anderson

Sacred space

Fresh Meadows: I wish to passionately comment on the behavior of mourners at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Cecilia Gentili’s service. Many years ago, I had a gay friend Greg. He once said to me, “Your friendship is important to me, do you think less of me because I’m homosexual?” To which I replied, “Everyone needs to find love on their own terms.” The point is he had such respect for someone who lived differently than he did. A truly evolved human should automatically understand what it means to show reverence in a sacred place such as St. Patrick’s or any other place of prayer. Lesley Paulos

Women’s rights

Spotswood, N.J.: Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s right to vote with the help of the Republicans. Most Democrats were against the suffragette movement. Her tenacity won out for women everywhere. Tom Scott

Say his name

Saugerties, N.Y.: Alexei Navalny must never be forgotten. Around the world and particularly in Russia, I hope we will see the name “Alexei” become the most popular choice for boys born this year and the name “Alexa” be the choice for baby girls. They will have every reason to carry that name with immense pride, and its history will be passed down for generations. Margaret Hogan

Opposition removal

Whitestone: Vladimir Putin poisons them in jail and hides the body. President Biden drowns them in legal fees and fines. Same motives and results. John McCain Connell

On the back foot

Staten Island: Seems to me that Republicans continue to try and fail — miserably, I might add — to find evidence of the “Biden Crime Family.” However, the Democrats have been successful in holding the “Trump Crime Family” to account for its misdeeds. This is through evidence and facts brought to a grand jury and within the courts. So the only conclusion is that either Trump is guilty as charged or the Democrats continue to outsmart, outmaneuver and trump them at every turn. So either way, they are losers! Gina Ottrando

Predetermined outcome?

Cincinnati: New York State Democratic Attorney General Letitia James didn’t indict just a ham sandwich, it was a ham hoagie with all the fixings, including hot sauce, one she will dine on for years to come. It was a case she telegraphed by campaigning for office claiming that she would go after Trump. It was also a case with no victims among the bankers who did business with the Trump Organization; no one lost money. The Democratic judge who tried the case did so without a jury. Legal proceedings should be impartial and political figures should not be targeted by opponents absent just and inviolable cause. Lady Justice weeps, as even those of us who do not like Trump and never voted for him hope for a reversal on appeal. Paul Bloustein

Brassy kicks

Carmel, N.Y.: Initially, the “boy wonder” panhandled everything from steaks to vodka, perfume, digital trading cards containing cartoon-like images portraying him as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero, books, letters written to him over the years, and let’s not forget Trump University. Donald Trump’s latest venture is the icing on the cake: Golden sneakers selling for $399 a pair tabbed as “Never Surrender” high tops will surely be on everyone’s Christmas list alongside Air Jordans. If my math is correct, Donald will have to sell 88,947,368 pairs of the garish shoes to pay $354.9 million in penalties ordered by Judge Arthur Engoron last week for fraudulently overstating his net worth to dupe lenders. I can’t wait to see what’s next on Trump’s shopping list. Eric Gross

Pause and reflect

Forest Hills: To Voicer John Leonard: It’s true that Donald Trump wasn’t the source of all chaos. I mean, when he was president, Russia withdrew from Ukraine. Oh, wait — no. I mean, Iran was in a treaty to not pursue nukes and agreed to act respectfully. Oh wait, no. China stopped making islands and threatening the entire South Pacific. Wait — no. Also, North Korea disarmed and is peaceful. Oh, wait — no again. I mean, luckily, none of the Middle Eastern terrorist organizations threatened violence if the U.S. recognized the Israeli capital. Oh — shoot. While you can’t blame every problem on Trump, you can’t sing accolades with these failures during his watch. I really liked the trade war with China, the loss of the SALT deduction and the continued narrative of destroying our institutions and distrust of the government, the personal scandals and brain-dead tweets on a daily basis. Who could not want that again? Matthew N. Ross

Make a deal

Manhattan: The U.S. should propose a plan according to which Israel would offer to admit to Gaza trucks (the number to be suggested by the Red Cross) with humanitarian aid (medicine, food, domestic-use fuel) in return for Hamas releasing all the hostages who it and Islamic Jihad are holding; the living unharmed, the dead unmutilated. As soon as the last hostage on a list approved by Israel arrives home safely, the trucks inspected and approved by the Israeli authorities can roll into the enclave and their contents save lives. Our legislators and other concerned governments and organizations could and should urge Hamas and Israel to accept the proposal, which could be a small but significant step toward building hope for future negotiations. Aviva Cantor

Low blows

Brooklyn: It would be great to see former Congressman George Santos win his lawsuit in a big way against Jimmy Kimmel (“Lying George sues Jimmy Kimmel over vids for show,” Feb. 18). Santos may have his problems, but Kimmel is a more despicable human being. Kimmel’s idea of comedy is to thoroughly humiliate someone. Aside from showing a total lack of character, it shows what a lack of real comedy talent Kimmel has. Where is the genius or comedy in making fun of someone? Kids are capable of doing this. It’s time someone put Kimmel in his place. Is it any wonder that to this day, Johnny Carson is still referred to as the king of late-night? Kimmel is the epitome of the inferiority of today’s late-night talk-show hosts. David Balsam