To the editor: I applaud San Diego for desirous to tax properties that sit empty for lengthy intervals throughout a housing disaster (“Owners keep thousands of San Diego homes vacant despite high rents. They could soon be taxed,” April 8). As a Santa Monica resident, it pains me {that a} Sundown Park dwelling on a nook lot has been empty for the previous 12 years for the reason that proprietor died. It may have been cleaned up and rented instantly for greater than $3,000 per thirty days, producing effectively over $400,000 in income by now. As an alternative, it sits empty.
Over time, homeless people have damaged in and tried to dwell on the property, producing a number of police calls. Taxpayers find yourself paying extra to cope with properties the homeowners refuse to take care of.
I can see the issue some have with taxation that begins too quickly, or that doesn’t account for reworking, so make it cheap. Any property sitting empty for greater than a 12 months ought to simply qualify. Letting a wonderfully good home sit empty for 12 years throughout a housing scarcity is simply plain nuts. Tax all of them to pressure the difficulty.
Paul Scott, Santa Monica
