Bob Orach has a very good plan (“An option for the houseless,” May 13) that could economically provide a step for the growing homeless population’s need for moving on with their lives.
I’ve been a landlord for most of my adult life and have tried to help many, so I am experienced in this area. A significant consideration is that many of this group have never even rented an apartment or owned a home and learned the responsibility and skills of maintaining these. Unless you construct residences of cinder block and concrete, they will rapidly and continually require extensive maintenance if they’re not to simply become slums!
Trailers, new or used, on the other hand, are inexpensive and easily replaced with another. They, as Bob states, provide a compact but complete household but for communal laundry and meeting room. Facilities for them is again relatively inexpensive, for those who wish to see what they are can see the abandoned trailer park at the north end of Broadway just before where it ends.
Michael D. Rogers
Arroyo Grande
