Re “Homeless count shows decrease in local area,” July 30 issue

I don’t live in L.A., but in San Diego. Having studied the issue somewhat as a private citizen, it seems one of the biggest impediments to adequately dealing with homelessness and affordability is that some communities and types of people consistently OPPOSE any new middle and low income housing and homeless shelters.

While Gov. Newsom’s and the state attorney general’s approach to hold communities responsible for building a certain minimum of new housing and shelters in their communities is important and an improvement from before, it’s NOT enough. Lawsuits can drag on for years while people continue to suffer.

Californians and Americans all over the U.S.A. have got to realize that we can’t keep every single-family home neighborhood preserved as if this were still the 1950s or even 1970s. As the U.S. and world population grows, so must our communities.

There’s too much NIMBYism throughout this country. That doesn’t mean caving in to wealthy developers who want mostly market rate upper income housing that only the top 10% of income earners can afford.

Damien Mitchell

San Diego