Letters to the Editor

Editor:

I am a retired HR manager for Los Angeles County and am very familiar with nepotism, the practice of favoring relations in hiring decisions. Offering relatives of current employees equal opportunity to apply for jobs along with all other applicants is not nepotism. Encouraging our staff to recruit for positions among their contacts is a valuable way of finding excellent job applicants. Look no further than the extraordinary story (Oct. 19) of our beloved Service Maintenance Director Ruben Gonzalez who was recruited by his father 50 years ago.

Dan Habel Mutual 3 Editor:

I enjoyed reading your front page (Oct. 19), and well deserved, article on Ruben Gonzalez. I have been a resident of Leisure World for 11 years and have personally interacted with Mr. Gonzalez in my early residency and found him to be very professional and helpful and a real asset to Leisure World. I would like to take this opportunity to also compliment Mario of Anguiano Lawn Care. I have found him to be very professional, a hard worker and respectful of resident property. He has provided brickwork for me, as well as other gardening service, and I find him to be a definite asset to Anguiano Lawn Care and wish there were more like him.

Joan Tarro Mutual 6 Editor:

The California Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) has mandated that the city of Seal Beach plan for 1,243 units at varying income levels.

The city has identified 11 “housing opportunity sites” within the city, one of which is in Leisure World. This site is the RV lot parcel 95-691-05 of 5.5 acres. The deed for the RV lot is held by the Golden Rain Foundation Trust property. Contrary to what Nathan Steele stated at the Sept. 27, 2023, meeting with City of Seal Beach officials, the shareholders do not vote on what happens to GRF property.

The GRF Board of Directors would decide on its use. Since LW is already the lowest cost housing option in Seal Beach, this probably is a no brainer site for the city. It’s already zoned for housing, and city officials only must influence the GRF Board. We, like many of the 290 RV and boat owners, chose to live in LW because of the availability of the low-cost RV lot. We, like others, are very concerned.

According to Davis-Stirling documents, an amenity can be eliminated if the Business Judgment Rule is followed. We believe if GRF rules on the housing at the RV lot, they are acting in bad faith and grossly overreaching, which can rebut the judgement rule. If you’re feeling uneasy and disappointed, remember we vote in GRF Board members. Get informed! Speak up! Question authority! The City of Seal Beach cannot force GRF to use the LW housing opportunity, but GRF can decide without shareholder input!

Teresa Charlesworth Wendi Rosenblatt Mutual 15 Editor:

As most shareholders in Leisure World know, the California Regional Housing Needs Assessment has mandated that the City of Seal Beach identify “housing opportunity sites” and has designated our RV lot for development. The Golden Rain Foundation holds the deed to the property. We shareholders do not vote on this proposal.

I urge every Leisure World stockholder to demand that they know now from their elected Mutual representative that individual’s position on this quality-of-life-altering determination for our already congested community.

Those GRF Board members in favor should publicly identify themselves. The consequences of building more units would be disastrous and costly, from the increased traffic (streets can’t be widened); a need for additional parking, which is maxed out now; and hiring additional staff, all at a great cost to shareholders.

A suggestion has been made that might have a positive impact on the severe parking shortage by the Administration Building, Health Care Center, Amphitheater and Clubhouse 6 area that should seriously be considered. Many GRF staff do not live in Leisure World. Why not free up all those spaces and have employee non-residents park in the RV lot area where a shuttle would bring them to and from work? We already have the vehicles, and new ones are on order; we also already have the accredited drivers so no increased salaries or costs.

Mitzi Winks Mutual 5