“DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THE WORD ‘gentrification?’ A nice euphemism for ‘over-development.’ Of course, Venice is about 30 years behind the overbuilt disaster that Santa Monica has become from its gentrification. What Venice needs is leaders who truly care about their town, have resided there for at least 30 years and can balance a restricted growth with a bohemian charm. Plus a strict height limit and a severe building code allowing only half the condo units on a parcel of land that Santa Monica does. Maybe the dope-smoking hippies and free love of the ‘70s have kept Venice more vibrant than our businesses-usual growth town and job-for-life City Council.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 13, 2008. Read the original PDF.