By Richard Tuttle Pico resident
The Santa Monica Police Department deserves a giant thank you from the peace-loving residents of the Pico neighborhood. They've done a great job in arresting the alleged perpetrators on the recent spate of shootings in the Pico in a very short time. I have also noticed a much increased police patrol presence in recent weeks.
Bill Bauer had some interesting things to say about the situation in the Pico. I find it astounding that the Community Corporation does not do criminal checks on residents of its projects. Is this true, Ms. Ling? If so, why?
Given the high percentage of public housing in the Pico and the history of violence in the area, such negligence seems inexcusable and I wonder if the Community Corporation is putting itself in the legal liability zone by doing something any reasonable landlord would do before renting its property to a tenant. Perhaps the Community Corporation should change its policy before legal action is taken by some litigious person.
The city does seem slow in enforcing building codes. I have called several times about a ratty-looking duplex with broken windows and weeds on the eastside of the 1700 block of 18th Street owned by Massoud Saleh and Mahmoud Salarkia of 2632 Lincoln Blvd., (assessors ID # 4274-027-024, purchased on Oct. 29, 2002 for $455,000) and nothing has been done. Residents should flood the building department with complaints at (310) 458-8355. Eventually they'll have to do something. Absentee slumlords in the Pico should not be tolerated.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 16, 2003. Read the original PDF.