Letters for Oct. 10, 2019

Re: “Bus a move” by Deana Medina (News, Sept. 19):

The noise coming from the Sacramento City Unified School District transportation facility continues to disturb homeowners whose property backs up to the facility. Residents are bothered by frequent loud beeping and honking when the bus drivers check the safety alarms and use the reverse signals. This doesn’t occur just in the morning when the buses leave, but also when they return several times a day. These are all normal noises for a transportation facility; however, it should never have been built so close to residents’ backyards.

To build this project, SCUSD agreed to mitigate problems. Noise was definitely going to be a problem, and the school district has not met the mitigation requirements. It is so bad that some residents want to sell their homes, but that might be difficult when you have to disclose the nuisance noise that invades your living space every day that school is in session.

Dianna McKenna

Sacramento / via email

Big fail on foreclosures

Re: “For which people?” by Scott Morris (Feature, Sept. 12):

I suggest analyzing former Attorney General Kamala Harris’s weak action in the foreclosure crisis, inaction despite many possible avenues.

She should have prosecuted predatory lenders’ coerced promissory notes, the steering of well-qualified borrowers into unnecessary sub-prime loans, the targeting by race for predatory loans and the myriad of abuses by lenders during foreclosure.

California law prevents what most states require: judicial oversight of foreclosures. In 39 states, some foreclosure abuses by lenders were stopped by judges—action that signaled lenders to reform their lending. In California, protection against foreclosure is prosecution after the fact by government officials.

If Harris had prosecuted the coercers, the sub-prime predators, the targeters of the vulnerable and the foreclosure abusers, then she would have warned lenders to stop those practices. Instead, lenders still have the same large incentives to abuse their home lending.

Karen Westmont

Berkeley / via email

Already like S.F.

Re: “A Bay Area refugee’s plea” by Meaghan Douglas (Essay, Sept. 5):

It’s too late; it is already happening. Downtown and Midtown are evolving into San Francisco for people who cannot afford San Francisco, and Roseville and the Placer ’burbs are becoming San Jose for people who can no longer afford San Jose.

Bill Zaumen

Sacramento / via SN&R Extra

Buying Best Of votes?

Re: “Hot, hot, hot” (Feature, Sept. 26):

Best bribe by a local company: All the bars, restaurants and local businesses that give “free” offers to customers who will vote them Best Of Sacramento.

Victor Morales

Sacramento / via email

Corrections

Re: “Best community theater group” by Mozes Zarate (Arts & Entertainment, Best of Sacramento, Sept. 26):

The article incorrectly described the Big Idea Theatre production of Bootycandy. It did not feature an all-black cast. SN&R regrets the error.

Re: “Best local hike” (Sports & Recreation, Best of Sacramento, Sept. 26):

The location of Feather Falls was incorrect. It is in Plumas National Forest. SN&R regrets the error.