We Still Get Letters: Gumbo Should Be Nourishing

Local news should serve to inform the community. Even in an opinion column (i.e. this Wednesday’s political gumbo), it’s irresponsible to publish opinions that sow confusion about the facts. Here’s the fact: Measure H is currently the law. Many tenants are within their rights to pay the rolled-back May 2021 rent. And yet they’re afraid to do so. Because for some reason their local news source, rather than clearing up misinformation, is hemming and hawing the same way their landlords are.

The laws that affect us are changing all the time, and it’s not always immediately clear when they apply and when they don’t. That’s why it’s important that the city and journalistic outlets provide factual, easy-to-understand information about the law, regardless of how controversial or contentious it is. (The fact that Pasadena tenants overwhelmingly support this law, and the controversy around it is largely created by landlord PR efforts, is an issue for another time).

I don’t blame these tenants for being unsure if it’s really okay to pay a lower rent amount. I especially don’t blame them for being upset about receiving eviction notices. Until the city and local news outlets can come out strong and say what the law is, landlords will continue to get away with breaking it. You have a role to play as a news outlet in creating an informed and law-abiding public. Obviously opinion columns are for opinions, and not the place for legal advice. But publishing a column just telling us “good luck” is a total cop-out.

Sincerely,

Luka Dowell
Pasadena resident for 20+ years

Got something to say, email Managing Editor André Coleman, at andrec@pasadenanowmagazine.com