Biden the leader U.S. needs: Letters to the editor, March 12, 2021

A leader of compassion, action

 Hats off to our new president! In one month he got us so many vaccines ... the shot in the arm we all need.

It’s so great to have a leader with the wherewithal to do what needs to be done to bring us back to some kind of normal. It’s also such a good feeling to have a president who has compassion, understanding and experience to help all of us.

Shaw-Blackstone project a no-go

I am writing in opposition to the proposed five-story apartment complex and walk-in medical clinic at Shaw and Glenn avenues near Blackstone. In a city with a long history of making bad development decisions, this proposal by Richard Erganian stands out as one of the worst ever floated. 

The project will have 128 apartments with a total of 223 bedrooms, yet only 64 parking spaces! These numbers alone should be enough to convince anyone to oppose the plan.

The proposal fails in every way to provide adequate amenities and a safe environment for low-income residents. It includes barely 1,100 square feet of green space. There are no schools or affordable food markets nearby. The Shaw-Blackstone area is unsuitable as a place for children to play or roam, considering the high speeds at which cars move along Shaw. Just two years ago, an 8-year-old boy was killed by a city bus that ran a red light at the nearby intersection of Shaw and Maroa.

This recklessly conceived plan clearly places developer profits above public safety and the quality of life in our city. It is simply a bad idea in every way. I urge officials to oppose it publicly and vote against its approval.

Fresno losing out on easy money

The Bee recently reported that Fresno first responders faced the threat of significant layoffs due to city budget shortfalls.

This is what comes of ignoring the will of the voters. If the City Council had not dragged its feet for years on permitting marijuana dispensaries in town, it could have been collecting millions of dollars in sales taxes.

As it currently stands, they still plan on dragging their feet for another year, while cities like Sacramento, Lemoore, Merced and Modesto are reaping the benefits of a thriving industry.

Tower Theater, church dispute

When a church moves into a business district, it's a sure sign the neighborhood is going to hell.

Fresno housing costs too much

I have to agree here with you that “Housing issues have long been a concern in Fresno.” Fresno housing is a rising issue that needs to be addressed and solved. Due to the COVID-19 situation, a lot of families from the Bay Area are moving to live here in Fresno. They find that Fresno houses are bigger and much cheaper than their previous houses in the Bay Area.

When they started to flowing, homeowners were able to raise the rent and benefit from this change. However, the original resident of Fresno is in shock at how expensive houses became.

Add to that, due to the decrease in monthly income due to COVID-19, (and) a lot of families had to move out of their units to find something a little cheaper, even if the new place is smaller, even with the new regulations that allow residents to round up the rent until they can pay. A lot of people could not benefit from this regulation, especially that they still need to pay whatever they owe as soon as they can.

This story was originally published March 12, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Biden the leader U.S. needs: Letters to the editor, March 12, 2021."